By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The First Niger Bridge will reopen to motorists next week once ongoing rehabilitation works are completed.
the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has assured residents of Anambra and Delta states, while urging their governors to closely monitor scrap markets to curb further vandalism of the critical infrastructure.
Umahi gave the assurance on Wednesday, 23 September, 2026, during an on-the-spot assessment of the rehabilitation work at the Onitsha end of the bridge, which links Anambra and Delta states.
He explained that the bridge had been closed to traffic from September 7 to 21 for emergency repairs, following the discovery of vandalised structural components, including bolts, nuts and portions of its expansion-joint steelwork, with the closure subsequently extended by one week due to persistent rainfall affecting the works.
The minister decried the activities of vandals at the bridge, lamenting that the Federal Government had spent huge sums fixing the vandalised bolts, nuts and expansion joints.
He disclosed that he would write to the governors of Anambra and Delta states, urging them to monitor scrap markets in their states closely, drawing on his experience as a former governor.
“We will write to the governors of Anambra and Delta states to tell them to monitor the scrap market closely. When I was governor, I banned all scrap activities in Ebonyi State because they contribute to the vandalisation of public infrastructure. Vandalism is costing the government huge sums of money. Look at the expenses vandals have incurred for us as a result of their activities,” he said.
Umahi urged residents to view the protection of critical infrastructure as a collective responsibility, appealing to them to alert security agencies whenever they observed vandals at work.
“We are also urging the people to see the protection of the critical infrastructure as a collective responsibility, with a view to ensuring it is protected from vandals. When they see vandals, they should alert the security agencies,” he said.
Addressing the media, the minister directed the removal of all illegal advertisement billboards on the bridge, ordering that they be replaced with pictures of President Bola Tinubu as a reward for what he described as the President’s “good works” for the South-East region.
He also reiterated the ban on illegal sand dredging activities around the bridge, explaining that such activities posed dangers to the structure’s integrity, and disclosed that he had directed the Bridge Director to write to the Chief of Army Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Commandant of the Civil Defence and the Federal Executive Council, seeking a directive banning sand dredging within 10km of any bridge nationwide.
Umahi commended the contractor, SKECC, for progress recorded on the project, disclosing that the vandalised bolts had been replaced and secured, while the specialised expansion joint removed from the bridge had been manufactured abroad, flown into the country and installed.
“We won’t be stampeded into opening the bridge until the basic things are done. So far, we are satisfied with the job done on the bridge, which included the installation of CCTV cameras, streetlights, asphalt and reconstructing of the carriageway and walkways, the expansion joints, bolts and others,” he said.
The minister disclosed that all elements of the bridge would be repainted grey, insisting that once rehabilitation works were completed, all illegal advertisements would be removed and replaced with pictures of the President in recognition of his development efforts in the South-East.
“The president has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures. I want to say to Ndigbo that we should not throw away our votes in 2027. In the last election we did not vote for Tinubu, yet he is carrying out projects in our region. The President deserves to be commended for what he is doing,” he said.
Umahi further urged residents of the South-East to be strategic with their votes ahead of the 2027 general election, while acknowledging Peter Obi as their kinsman.
“I have the bragging rights with President Bola Tinubu, and I can tell you that, for the first time, the Ndigbo are getting what they are supposed to get. I want our people to be strategic, Peter Obi is our brother, but we have to be strategic and be wise with our votes this time around. I urged those rooting for Peter Obi’s presidency to show what Obi has attracted to Ndigbo,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the government would reopen the bridge the following week, adding that he would write to security chiefs requesting that no checkpoints be mounted within 200 metres of the bridge, as such checkpoints caused traffic buildup that placed heavy load on the structure.
“We will be here next week to open the bridge, and I want to say that we will write to the security chiefs to tell them that there should not be any checkpoint within 200 metres to this bridge because it causes traffic on the bridge, which creates heavy load on the bridge and it is not good for it. We thank the people for their patience. The bridge is not just healthier, but will last longer now and motorists will enjoy driving on it,” he said.
Umahi thanked the governors of Anambra and Delta states for their commitment and support towards the bridge’s rehabilitation, apologising to Anambra residents for inconveniences caused by the bypass arrangement made in collaboration with the Ministry of Works.
“The bolts that were vandalised have been replaced, expansion joints have been manufactured and flown in by air and replaced. The company has done beautiful work. We will, however, not be stampeded to open the bridge until the full structural works have been done,” he added.
The Minister further directed that additional solar lights be installed, and that CCTV installation be completed and linked to the Second Niger Bridge immediately.
Speaking on behalf of the governors of Delta and Anambra states, the Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, commended the Federal Government for its intervention, expressing satisfaction with the pace of work.
“We are pleased with the speed of work. We want to also appreciate our people who demonstrated a whole lot of patience to understand that you are after their safety,” he said.
Aniagwu explained that the rehabilitation had significantly improved the condition of the bridge and expressed confidence that the work would stand the test of time.
The Controller of Works in Anambra State, Timothy Emenike, who conducted the minister round the project site, praised Umahi’s tenacity, hard work and energy, which he said had contributed to the success of the rehabilitation.
