By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, has strengthened its campaign against vandalism of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), securing the commitment of government agencies, community security organisations, scrap dealers and welders to collaborate in protecting public infrastructure.

The stakeholders made the commitment on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during a community engagement programme organised by the NSCDC at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Works in Obalende, Lagos. Other participants included the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Scrap Dealers and Employers Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Welders Association.The engagement, organised in line with the National Protection Policy and Strategy (NPPS) on Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Protection, reflects the vision of the NSCDC Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, PhD, mni, OFR, to safeguard national economic resources, public infrastructure and the safety of citizens.

Addressing participants, the Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Adedotun Keshinro, fnarc, emphasised the need for a collective approach to tackling infrastructure vandalism, illegal scrap dealings and other forms of economic sabotage. He urged stakeholders to strengthen intelligence sharing, community participation and cooperation with security agencies to prevent the destruction of public assets.Keshinro stressed that no single security agency could effectively guarantee the protection of lives, property and critical infrastructure without the active support of other institutions and members of the public.

He therefore called for sustained collaboration to achieve lasting operational results in the fight against vandals.The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Engineer Olufemi Dare, said cooperation among government agencies, community leaders and other stakeholders had become imperative to curb the vandalism of manholes, road barriers, fences, railings and other facilities along roads and bridges across the state. He particularly highlighted the need to protect the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a proposed 750-kilometre infrastructure project, noting that communities along the route had an important role to play in safeguarding the facility.

Dare maintained that protecting the integrity of public roads and other infrastructure required collective vigilance and responsible public participation. He urged all stakeholders to support efforts to prevent the theft and destruction of facilities designed to serve the public.The Lagos Zonal Director of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr Tunji Jimoh, identified inadequate public awareness of the importance of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) as one of the factors contributing to the vandalism of telecommunications facilities, particularly fibre-optic cables. He also warned that construction activities sometimes damage fibre-optic cables when contractors fail to identify their locations before commencing road projects.

Representing the Special Adviser in the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Office of Infrastructure, Engineer Oladotun Ojolola called for stronger coordination to prevent the vandalism of roads, bridges and other public assets. He urged Lagos residents to take ownership of government infrastructure by protecting facilities provided for public use.The Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, represented by its Deputy Director, Mr Falana, highlighted intelligence gathering, sustained community engagement, digitisation and inter-agency cooperation as important strategies for addressing infrastructure vandalism. Similarly, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, represented by Mr Oguntunde Sesan, pledged to work with the NSCDC and other security agencies to strengthen grassroots surveillance and protect critical assets.The Lagos State Chairman of the Scrap Dealers and Employers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Adedotun Adewale, said the NSCDC’s community engagement initiatives and operational strategies had contributed to a reduction in vandalism in the state.

He reaffirmed the association’s willingness to support efforts to prevent stolen public infrastructure from entering the scrap market.The State Chairman of the Nigeria Welders Association also stressed that sustained cooperation among security agencies, artisans, scrap dealers and buyers was essential to tackling the crime. He called for greater vigilance across the scrap metal value chain to ensure that those who steal public assets could not easily sell them to unscrupulous buyers.The NSCDC Lagos State Command said the stakeholder engagement initiative would be extended to the grassroots to deepen public awareness, strengthen community participation and improve intelligence gathering. The Command expressed its commitment to working with relevant institutions and professional associations to prevent infrastructure vandalism, protect public investments and safeguard critical national assets across Lagos State.