A man, yet to be identified, was captured in a viral video narrating how some rail fittings connecting the Second Niger Bridge were allegedly removed by suspected scavengers. When contacted about the incident, Uche Orji, the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, stated that security measures had been taken but declined to provide further details.
Anambra Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, confirmed that the incident had been reported to the Highway Department of the Federal Ministry of Works. He emphasized that while the state government is concerned about the theft of the iron fittings, it has been challenging to prevent such incidents due to the tactics of the perpetrators.
Nwosu explained that despite police patrols along the bridge, the thieves are adept at exploiting gaps in security. He noted that these criminals are familiar with areas where security presence is lacking and strike when they perceive a lapse in vigilance.
The commissioner stressed that the stolen rail fittings were actively in use to ensure the functionality of the bridge. He acknowledged that such incidents had occurred in the past and announced plans to deploy a unit of mobile police to the bridge to deter future occurrences.