Epileptic streetlights worsening insecurity in Lagos

Streetlights are critical utilities in contemporary cities because of the immense benefits they provide. For instance, apart from promoting security in urban areas, they also enhance safety for drivers, riders, and pedestrians, in addition to increasing the quality of life by artificially “extending the hours.”

Unfortunately, streetlights are increasingly becoming ornamental in many parts of Lagos State as they are either non-functional even on major roads or are working in fits and starts. Expectedly, this trend of epileptic services has heightened incidence of insecurity across the state. 
 
In fact, traffic robbers, street urchins and other criminal elements are taking advantage of the poor illumination on these roads to rob, dispossess and maim innocent and unsuspecting persons at night.This development has caused many to question what has become of the state government’s “Light Up Lagos Project,” which was launched by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2016.

But the situation in some other areas is inconveniencing passersby, just as it is giving residents sleepless nights, as it constitutes serious security concerns. It would be recalled that Zik’s House (Ile Zik) in Ikeja, up to the old Sango Tollgate on the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road down to Oshodi, and Agege road are currently under construction, a development that has temporarily plunged these area into darkness.
 
From Abule Egba to Ekoro Junction and from Ekoro Junction to Ile-Epo Oja (under Agbado-Oke/Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) are all in darkness in the last seven months.Initially, it was understood that a faulty power generating plant was the main issue, but that appears not to be the case because after the power generating set was replaced, the area still remains darkness.
 
Even, the streetlights on Abule-Egba Jubilee Bridge, which was commissioned only two years ago, are no more working regularly, thereby putting the lives of pedestrians, motorists and roadside traders at risk.The same scenario plays out from Charity Bus Stop, Oshodi, to Ilasamaja Bus Stop along the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway. Since this stretch of the road was lit up barely one and a half year ago, it has been a very poor example of how streetlights should work, coming alive on the basis of one-day-on, one-day-off.

A good number of times, the situation gets so bad that they remain off for several days, especially the stretch between Toyota Bus Stop, Five-Star Bus Stop and Iyana Isolo Bus Stop. This unfortunate development usually allows robbers and street urchins to return to Toyota Bus Stop to ply their nefarious trade. 
 
For motorists, commuters and pedestrians who hitherto had a delightful experience around Oke-Koto/Afa Nla, in the Agege area of the state, those days are now gone as the streetlights have failed to come alive regularly.When The Guardian visited the area last week, the whole stretch linking Pen Cinema and Iyana-Ipaja were in pit darkness. Areas like Agidingbi and ACME roads in Ikeja, Allen Avenue-Opebi Road are among lucky areas that the streetlights are still managing to come on.
 
For several months between 2017 and 2018, residents of Sadiku Street, in the Papa Ajao area of Mushin Local Council saw the lampstands along the whole stretch of street as ornaments as they never blinked. It was towards the end of the year that the streetlights suddenly came alive.