The Federal Government, yesterday, debunked the rumour circulating on social media that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State has ‘opened up’.
On Monday, a post asking motorists to take alternative routes from the Third Mainland Bridge to avoid “major disaster” appeared on WhatsApp.
Reacting to the rumour, spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Works, in a statement, Boade Akinola said the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola, drove on the bridge without noticing “any shaking” as claimed in the social media messages.
Akinola said: “The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olukayode Popoola, has debunked insinuations making the rounds in the social media that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos has opened up and shaking and, therefore, unsafe to traffic saying the claim was both false and unfounded,” the statement reads.
“Giving an on-the-spot report on the Bridge, the controller, who said he just drove along the Bridge without noticing any opening or experiencing any shaking as contained in the social media report, advised members of the public not to take report seriously.
“He especially advised commuters to ignore the insinuations as to the Bridge, which is receiving regular attention along others across the country.”
This is not the first time social media will be inundated by rumour on the safety of the Third Mainland Bridge.
In 2019, the Federal Government debunked a similar rumour about the bridge.