No fewer than 1,000 homeowners, businesses, and community leaders in Igbo Efon and adjoining areas of Lagos have raised alarm following the fresh marking of their properties for demolition by the Federal Government over the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The affected residents said the markings followed a directive from the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, ordering occupants to vacate properties located within 150 metres of the high-water mark or face demolition.
Under the umbrella of the Coalition of Project Affected Persons (PAPs), the property owners accused authorities of violating their constitutional rights, insisting that the directive was being enforced under a misinterpretation of international law.
Residents Demand Immediate Suspension of Demolition
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Tolu Ademiluyi, PAPs’ coordinator, called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend enforcement of the 150-metre setback, pending judicial review and broader public consultation.
Ademiluyi argued that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) does not authorise retroactive evictions or demolition of legally acquired properties.
“For over three decades, our members have built homes, schools, places of worship, and businesses on land acquired legally and approved by Lagos State planning authorities,” he said.
“Now, without compensation, due process, or site-specific scientific justification, we are being asked to vacate or face demolition. This is unlawful.”
Legal Adviser Cites Constitutional Violations
The group’s legal adviser, Mr. Sola Enitan, described the situation as a clear breach of Sections 43 and 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as provisions of the Land Use Act.
According to him:
- No formal revocation notices were served on many affected residents
- No gazetted acquisition documents were publicly disclosed
- No transparent valuation of homes, businesses, or economic assets was conducted
- No compensation was paid before markings and demolitions commenced
“What we have witnessed instead is intimidation, forced evictions, and demolitions under armed supervision,” Enitan said.
Lagos Lawmaker Calls for Dialogue
The lawmaker representing the area in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Noheem Babatunde Adams, urged residents to pursue engagement and dialogue with relevant authorities.
He noted that the Coastal Road project predated some developments in the corridor and stressed the importance of due diligence before land acquisition.
However, residents countered that many of the properties had received valid government approvals at the time of development.
Call for Fair Compensation and Risk Assessment
The project-affected persons demanded:
A transparent compensation and resettlement framework
Independent, site-specific environmental and risk assessments
An end to what they described as “one-size-fits-all” coastal buffer enforcement
“We support environmental protection, but sustainability cannot come at the cost of citizens’ rights,” Ademiluyi said.
“We are ready to engage, but we will resist unlawful displacement legally.
As tensions rise along the Lagos coastline, pressure continues to mount on the Federal Government to balance infrastructure development, environmental protection, and constitutional property rights, amid growing public scrutiny of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
