The Building and Civil Engineering Professionals Group (BCPG), under the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Amuwo Odofin Cell, has dismissed allegations that the Dantata Overhead Bridge along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway was vandalised, following a detailed inspection of the structure.
The clarification came after a fact-finding mission undertaken by a three-member team that visited the bridge on August 10 and again on August 25 in response to a viral video alleging damage to parts of the bridge, particularly the section descending towards 7th Avenue in Festac Town.
The inspection team was led by the Cell Coordinator, Chubike Okafor, alongside architect Michael Adeyemo and building professional Timi Adeosun.
During the initial visit, the team met officials of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractor handling the project, and inspected the areas highlighted in the video, including the pile columns supporting the bridge deck and sections of excavated earth around the structure.
According to Okafor, findings from the inspection revealed that the concrete coverings protecting the pile columns remained intact and showed no signs of vandalism.
He, however, noted that some of the columns required additional finishing work due to rough surface appearances, stressing that such improvements were necessary to enhance durability and aesthetics.
The team further established that the excavation observed near the bridge was not the result of vandalism. Rather, it was initially carried out by contractors conducting maintenance work on drainage outlets before being extended by squatters who reportedly removed soil to reclaim waterlogged areas around the bridge for temporary structures.
Following the first inspection, the BCPG team allowed two weeks for corrective works before conducting a follow-up visit.
During the second inspection, members observed significant progress, including ongoing plans by the contractor to construct protective concrete moulds around the exposed pile columns and complete outstanding finishing works.
The BCPG stated that it would continue to monitor activities at the site to ensure the long-term integrity of the bridge and provide updates where necessary.
The group noted that its intervention was aimed at establishing the true condition of the infrastructure and addressing public concerns generated by the viral video.
