New Security Initiative Launched for Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

In a bid to ensure the safety and integrity of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Federal Government has introduced a new security initiative known as the Coastal Highway Guards. This move is aimed at protecting the highway from vandalism and other unauthorized activities. According to Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, launched the initiative with an initial 40 officers. The primary responsibilities of these personnel will include maintaining a visible presence on the highway, reporting any suspicious activities, and restricting unauthorized access to the highway. They will also be tasked with monitoring and reporting any form of vandalism, as well as enforcing restrictions on hawking, keke, and okada operations on the highway. The team will be led by retired Gen. Adekunle Shodunke and will work in collaboration with security agencies in the state. Umahi emphasized that the initiative is not an empowerment program but a full-time job focused on protecting government assets. He quoted the Minister as saying, 'This is not an empowerment program, it is a full-time job to protect National Assets of the Government and in line with the Renewed Hope of Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.' Earlier, Umahi expressed concern over the activities along sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, particularly the removal of construction materials and illegal occupation of the highway. He directed the Works Controller in Lagos to ensure that motorcycles, tricycles, hawkers, and other unauthorized activities were kept off the coastal highway. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 750-kilometer, 10-lane highway being developed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states. The project is being undertaken by Hitech Construction Company Limited under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works.