Lagos State Government has carried out urgent repairs on a dangerous open manhole along the Ikeja axis leading to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, less than 24 hours after public outcry sparked by a viral video.
Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, who visited the site on Sunday, confirmed that relevant agencies were mobilised overnight to address the safety risk.
“First, we must commend the good citizen who raised the alarm. As soon as it was brought to our attention, we moved in immediately. The Lagos State Public Works Corporation, the drainage team, and the General Manager all came here last night. As you can see, the work is ongoing,” Daramola said.
Accompanied by Tokunbo Ajanaku, General Manager of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, and Mahmood Adegbite, Director of Drainage, Daramola cautioned residents against road vandalism and misuse of public infrastructure.
“We face similar challenges across the state. Just recently, manholes were vandalised at the Ogudu Bridge and the Ogudu Link Bridge.
“While government will continue to respond swiftly, we must emphasise that road abuse is a serious offence. Citizens also have a duty to ‘see something, say something’,” he added.
The intervention followed a civic action by broadcast journalist Deji Badmus, who had erected a warning billboard inside the open manhole on Saturday to draw attention to the hazard.
In his viral video, Badmus described the manhole as “a death trap,” narrating how he narrowly avoided an accident there.
“That manhole has been left open for about three months. I almost crashed here, and just days ago, another serious accident occurred. Several cars have run into it already.
“It’s shocking that such a danger was ignored on a road linking both the international and local airports,” he lamented.
By Sunday afternoon, Badmus posted an update showing state officials covering the manhole.
“Less than 24 hours after we raised the alarm, the Lagos State Government moved in to fix it. This is the type of quick response residents expect.
“However, I hope the authorities will extend the same urgency to the numerous other open manholes scattered across the city,” he said.
Lagos govt fixes open manhole after viral outcry
