For some metal scavengers, popularly known as ‘iron condemned’ pickers, Lagos bridges, old buildings, construction sites and even occupied homes have become sources of quick money. Armed with cutting tools, they break into concrete structures to remove reinforcement rods and strip roofing sheets, selling the materials as scrap while leaving buildings weakened and damaged. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA writes that they also steal electrical wiring, burn it to extract the copper and sell it for as much as N10,000 per kilogramme
For years, the theft of manhole covers, bridge railings, streetlight cables and other metal infrastructure has been a familiar form of vandalism in Lagos. Today, however, the scrap-metal trade appears to be taking a more dangerous turn.
After targeting manhole covers and other public infrastructure, scrap-metal scavengers are now going after reinforcement rods embedded in bridges, structural steel in residential buildings and electrical wiring, raising concerns about public safety and the growing black market for scrap metal.
While investigating the activities of these criminal elements, Sunday PUNCH located Lagos bridges, as well as unoccupied and occupied buildings, where scavengers, armed with hammers, chisels and cutting tools, dig into concrete to extract steel reinforcement rods and electrical wiring, while stripping roofing sheets for quick cash.
