A comment by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has drawn attention online after he suggested extreme measures against vandals allegedly targeting the Ibadan–Ilesa/Ife federal highway.
Mr Onanuga was reacting to a social media post by an X user, @salawueedris1 who accused vandals of cutting and removing starter bars and shoulder rods from the ongoing road project.
The Ibadan–Ilesa/Ife highway, linking Oyo and Osun states, is a key federal route currently under reconstruction as part of broader national road rehabilitation efforts.
A video accompanying the post shows workers at the site pointing to sections of the road where steel starter bars have been cut or removed.
A worker wearing a reflective jacket bearing the Federal Ministry of Works logo, described how both easily accessible and harder-to-reach bars were stolen.
Mr Salawu expressed frustration over the repeated destruction of critical construction materials, adding that the act is a sabotage of a federal initiative meant to improve road infrastructure.
“So what happens is that we have some people vandalising these starter bars… You can see that they are pressing in some places, but all these vandals, they cut out of it. They remove the ones they could remove.
“They cut the ones that are very solid and remove the ones they can remove entirely. These are starter bars. This is a very bad thing they are doing. These are vandals and we have security patrols,” he said.
In response, Mr Onanuga wrote: “Just shoot these unconscionable vandals/thieves at sight. They are the worst species of citizens.”
Mixed reactions
The statement provoked mixed reactions, with some condemning the vandalism and supporting tougher enforcement, while others criticised the adviser’s language and raised questions about its legality.
X user Arinze Chijioke described the alleged vandalism as criminal and said it should not be tolerated.
However, others questioned the implication of Mr Onanuga’s statement. An X user identified as Megamixer asked whether the remark reflected official government policy or a personal opinion, noting that statements from a presidential spokesperson carry institutional weight and should be clearly distinguished from private views.
“As the President’s spokesman, your words are not casual commentary. They carry institutional weight. Nigerians deserve to know when you are articulating official policy and when you are offering a private opinion. Right now, that line is dangerously blurred,” he said.
Some users defended the aide’s frustration, blaming citizens for failing to protect public projects,
A user, Foundational ljesa Man said,“The citizens are worse than the leaders they accuse every day. Imagine what they are doing to a project they should protect. Some of them will be under this tweet insulting me and Uncle Bayo, blaming it on hunger.”
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Others linked the vandalism to broader governance issues. Ochinanwata D First argued that economic hardship and corruption contribute to such acts, warning that political leaders would eventually face the consequences of systemic failures.
“The same country your Boss has refused to fix will come back to haunt you when you leave govt,” he said.
Vandalism of public infrastructure is a persistent problem in Nigeria, undermining development and public safety. Experts say the country loses hundreds of billions of naira annually due to the destruction of roads, pipelines, and power facilities. The most affected sectors include transportation, energy, and water infrastructure.
