Dozens of aggrieved citizens on Thursday stormed the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, demanding immediate and fair compensation for properties demolished along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project corridor.
Chanting slogans and holding placards that read messages like “Ministry of Works is complicit in abrupt road diversion” and “International investors deserve protection, not demolition,” the protesters voiced strong discontent over what they described as the government’s insensitivity to property owners affected by the highway construction.
Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, one of the group leaders emphasized the urgency of justice and accountability.
“We are here with others who believe in fairness and equity. You don’t take people’s legally acquired properties—properties with valid Certificates of Occupancy—without proper compensation and expect silence. What we want is justice. When do we want it? Now,” he declared.
He criticized the manner in which the government handled the road diversion, saying it had left many Nigerians devastated after investing in properties that were suddenly demolished without prior warning or adequate redress.
“We support infrastructure development, but it must not come at the cost of people’s livelihoods. You cannot invite citizens and Nigerians in the diaspora to invest in their homeland, only to destroy what they’ve built without restitution. It sends the wrong message and discourages further investment,” he added.
The protesters also raised concerns about the whereabouts of a young Nigerian, Obanla, reportedly detained during the demolition exercise. His continued disappearance, according to them, raises human rights concerns.
“Obanla was taken from the site, and till now, we don’t know where he is. We are calling for his immediate release. Enough is enough,” the speaker insisted.
Calling on the National Assembly to intervene, the demonstrators urged lawmakers to hold the Works Ministry accountable. They argued that just as the nation found the means to reward athletes for excellence, it must also compensate citizens whose properties have been unjustly taken.
“If we have millions to reward the Super Falcons, we should have the same resources to compensate those whose homes and investments were destroyed. These people worked hard for what they owned,” he said.
As at the time of the protest, officials of the ministry were unavailable to respond to the demands, with reports indicating that the minister was out of town.
