Contractors handling the Festac-Alakija Bridge project have dismissed reports that the bridge infrastructure was vandalised by scavengers, saying the condition of some of the bridge piles and the activities around the construction site were responsible for the appearance seen in a viral video.

The clarification followed the circulation of a video purporting to show that parts of the bridge had been vandalised by scavengers.

The area beneath the Alakija Bridge had been littered with refuse and other waste materials, while makeshift structures had also been erected around the site, creating an unsightly environment and fuelling speculation about the state of the infrastructure.

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However, engineers working on the project said the condition of the bridge piles shown in the video was part of the construction process and not evidence of vandalism.

One of the engineers, Musa Saidu, explained that the pile was designed to extend below the original ground level and that the visible portion was necessary for the subsequent construction of the bridge deck.

“There’s nothing like vandalisation here. The pile is supposed to have a rough surface because you pour concrete into a hole. Where we are standing now is supposed to be beneath the ground surface.

“So, this height you are seeing is to allow for the construction of the deck. There was nothing like scavengers on this bridge. What you are seeing here is what they compiled.

“The contractor is already working here. They created a platform here in order to jacket the bridge,” he said.

The contractors also appealed to members of the public to stop using the area beneath bridges and other public infrastructure as places of residence.

Another contractor, Moremi Ojudu, said bridges and other infrastructure should not be treated as places of habitation.

“The bridges are not any place of habitation. Do not see our bridges or infrastructure as a place to reside in. No, please don’t do that.

“Please, we have to play our responsibilities. We all have a collective responsibility,” Ojudu said.

The contractors assured that finishing works beneath the deck would commence next week.

Security personnel have also been deployed to patrol the Festac-Alakija Bridge area and discourage people from returning to the space beneath the bridge after being removed.