By: Manoah Kikekon
BADAGRY, LAGOS — Urgent safety concerns have mounted on Gberefu Island in Badagry, Lagos State, as local residents and stakeholders raise alarms over highly substandard reconstruction works. The ongoing projects, designed to revitalize the globally recognized historical site, are being labeled potential "death traps" that pose an imminent threat to the lives of international tourists, visitors, and host community members alike.
Gberefu Island is home to the historic "Point of No Return" slave trade route, drawing thousands of cultural heritage tourists annually. The sweeping regeneration initiative by the state government is split into three primary structural phases awarded to different contractors: the construction of the Footpath, the construction of the Attenuation Well, and the total reconstruction of the beachfront Monument Structure (locally known as the Tunnel).
An on-site investigative tour of the island revealed severe structural deficiencies in the execution of the projects. Residents who have consistently filed complaints with the on-site engineers note that their warnings have been entirely ignored.
For an island deeply susceptible to heavy seasonal flooding, the foundational integrity of the tourist footpath is critically compromised. Rather than pouring solid, reinforced concrete, contractors are allegedly heaping loose sand and masking it with a dangerously thin layer of superficial cement.
 |
| The footpath |
A close evaluation of the work shows that the surface concrete can easily break apart with minimal physical force. Furthermore, workers laid down the interlocking paving stones directly onto the bare soil without putting a defensive nylon or plastic underlayment first—a standard engineering step necessary to stop invasive grasses and weeds from destroying the pavement from beneath.
 |
| The footpath |
Equally alarming is the status of the historic Spirit Attenuation Well, which stands partially completed. Despite the harsh coastal elements, the construction utilizes materials that cannot withstand basic environmental wear and tear. Observers point out that the shelter over the well is being roofed with short-lived grass thatch instead of durable, marine-grade aluminum, guaranteeing that the roof will degrade completely within a few months.
 |
| Spirit Attenuation Well |
The most catastrophic hazard is unfolding at the beachfront monument structure, initially constructed between 2010 and 2015 during the administration of former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola. Over the past decade, the intense sea salt spray from the Atlantic Ocean has severely oxidized and weakened the building's iron core.
 |
| The monument structure |
While the Lagos State Government explicitly approved and funded the contract for a total reconstruction of the shifting monument, site workers are doing nothing more than applying cosmetics. Tons of corroded iron parts are simply being scraped off and painted over, ignoring the fact that the underlying metal framework has already lost the vast majority of its load-bearing strength.
Local community members have historically warned that the entire monument has visibly shifted on multiple occasions and could easily collapse at any moment under the weight of tour groups.
Historical precedents have intensified local distrust. The current contract was re-awarded to Sageto Limited, the exact same engineering firm responsible for the original, failed installation a decade ago.
A long-term resident of Gberefu Island, who personally witnessed the original execution process between 2010 and 2015, shared a troubling account of the contractor's historical practices:
“When they were about to construct this tunnel back then, they initially brought high-quality, heavily treated anti-rust iron to the site. But immediately after the official project flag-off ceremony was concluded, all those quality materials were secretly moved away. They replaced them with low-quality alternative iron, which they used for the main building. Unsurprisingly, it began to rust and fail within just a few years.”
When contacted with the damning evidence and community outcries, Hon. Bonu Solomon Saanu, the Chairman of the House Committee on Tourism and the Lagos State House of Assembly Member representing Badagry Constituency I, promised that the legislative branch would step in without delay.
“I will take action immediately,” Hon. Bonu stated when contacted regarding the Gberefu Island safety situation. “I promise to personally visit the site to inspect the quality of work myself and verify these reports before releasing a full, formal legislative statement.”
With tourist traffic expected to rise, this report serves as an urgent public appeal to all relevant governing institution including the Badagry Local Government leadership, the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the executive office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Stakeholders stress that regulatory authorities must deploy independent structural engineers to the island immediately to halt the current cover-ups, audit the materials used, and avert a catastrophic structural disaster.