Residents of Okun Ajah have protested against the planned demolition of houses in their area as part of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The protest, led by the President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, Oladotun Hassan, brought attention to the alleged targeting of law-abiding citizens who adhered to the 2006 gazetted Right of Way (RoW), while those who allegedly encroached on the alignment are being spared.
“Law-abiding citizens who have adhered to the gazetted Right of Way are being unfairly targeted, while encroachers are being spared,” Hassan claimed during the protest.
Community leaders, including the Akogun of Okun Ajah, Saheed Olukosi, and youth leader Noibi Otolowo, refuted claims that rerouting the road would save 2,000 houses, noting that no fewer than 100 houses are due to be illegally affected. They also accused the acting Baale, Sikiru Olukosi, of deceit.
Olukosi stated, “It is a grand conspiracy perpetrated by the Regent of Okun Ajah and the Secretary, Kamoru Ogidan, with some landlords. The number of residences affected by the coastal road alignment is less than 100, and numerous houses will be impacted by the rerouting of the road.”
A petition titled “Save Our Soul” was sent to the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highlighting illegal encroachments and fraudulent sales of the government’s gazetted Right of Way road alignment by Sikiru Olukosi, Kamoru Ogidan, and others.
The petition, backed by the Yoruba Council Worldwide, demanded a thorough investigation and prosecution of those involved in these alleged illegal activities.
In the petition, the council emphasised, “We are committed to ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and assured justice for the good people of Yoruba land, and by extension, all Nigerians at large.”
Youth leader, Noibi Otolowo also criticized the claim that rerouting the road would save 2,000 houses. “This is a ploy by lawbreakers to evade punishment. The government should do the right thing to discourage lawlessness,” he said.
Otolowo further clarified that the Marine Cable is not on the coastal route. “The Marine Cable is at Mopo 2, which is far from the coastal route in Okun Ajah. The government should do the normal thing to discourage lawlessness,” he added.
Residents accused the acting Baale of colluding with some alleged lawbreakers to build on the coastal road alignment.
The Akogun of Okun Ajah, Saheed Olukosi, remarked, “Their criminal actions are purely deceitful and mischievous. They are violators of the law and are attempting to deceive the government. It is undeniable that they constructed their houses on the coastal road alignment, fully aware of the implications.”
The protestors called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to uphold justice and prevent further harm to legitimate property owners.
They demanded that the original alignment, gazetted since 2006, be maintained to avoid unmitigated injuries against innocent Nigerians.
The community remains divided over the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road. While those who built on the coastal road alignment support the diversion, hundreds who built outside the road insist the law must prevail.
