Treat ‘iron condemn’ operators as terrorists or watch the bridges fall, By Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu

These individuals and the networks that support them target the structural integrity of bridges, roads, and drainage systems with calculated precision. They extract iron rods embedded in concrete bridge supports, pry open and remove manhole covers that protect underground utilities, and strip reinforcement from barriers designed to safeguard motorists and pedestrians. Each act weakens critical assets that cost billions of naira to construct and that citizens rely upon daily for safe passage and basic services. The cumulative effect is not petty theft. It is sabotage that endangers lives, multiplies repair costs, and undermines the credibility of public investment.