The Federal Government has deployed a special security team, known as the Coastal Highway Guards, to protect the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from vandalism, illegal occupation and other unauthorised activities.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, inaugurated the initiative on Sunday with the deployment of 40 officers to provide round-the-clock security along the strategic road project.

The development was disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, Jubril Gawat, in a statement posted on X.

The 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 10-lane project, is designed to connect Lagos with Cross River State through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

The project is being constructed by Hitech Construction Company Limited under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works.

According to Gawat, the newly deployed guards will maintain a security presence along the highway, identify and report suspicious activities, monitor vandalism and prevent hawking, loitering and the use of motorcycles and tricycles on the road.

The team will be led by retired General Adekunle Shodunke and is expected to work in collaboration with other security agencies operating in Lagos State.

Umahi stressed that the deployment was not an empowerment scheme but a dedicated assignment to safeguard government infrastructure.

“The Hon. Minister says this is not an ‘empowerment programme’. 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,” Gawat quoted the minister as saying.

The minister had earlier raised concerns over alleged vandalism and illegal occupation of portions of the highway, warning that such activities could undermine the multi-billion-naira infrastructure project.

“We have had very terrible, unpatriotic elements removing the blocks, breaking the fence, removing the rods and treading on the highway. This must stop,” Umahi said.

He consequently directed the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos to ensure that motorcycles, tricycles, hawkers and other unauthorised users were removed from the coastal highway.

“Their job is that no keke on the coastal highway, no motorcycle on the coastal highway, and no loitering. There is no superhighway all over the country where you see people loitering,” the minister said.

Umahi further disclosed that he and members of the National Assembly encountered people sleeping on sections of the highway during an inspection visit conducted around 11pm.

“Last night, we were there with the National Assembly members by 11 pm; people were sleeping on the coastal highway. It must stop. No hawking, no occupation illegally along the entire coast,” he said.

The minister also urged the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to intensify its protection of critical national infrastructure, stressing the need for sustained security around strategic government assets.