Residents beg govt to halt land takeover
Residents in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government of Lagos State have appealed to Federal Government to suspend ‘‘a fresh plan to enforce a 150-metre setback on both sides of the proposed coastal
Residents in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government of Lagos State have appealed to Federal Government to suspend ‘‘a fresh plan to enforce a 150-metre setback on both sides of the proposed coastal highway, warning that the move could erase long-established ancestral settlements.
Community leaders said the development had created fear and panic among residents, adding that further demolitions could trigger unrest among people who claim they have lost homes, shrines and heritage sites to earlier phases of the project.
Read Also: Ramadan: Radda urges Muslims to seek divine mercy, pray for peace in Katsina, Nigeria
While lauding Bola Tinubu for initiating the transformative and legacy infrastructure project, the leaders alleged that repeated realignments of the corridor had resulted in the demolition of houses and cultural landmarks.
They urged Federal Ministry of Works and the state to communicate the road’s alignment and setback provisions, saying they should engage communities and grant waivers to settlements.
Speaking for the communities, Adebayo Agbabiaka said previous demolitions displaced villages, including multi-storey buildings built long before road infrastructure reached the area. He said residents had transported building materials by boat through Epe and carried them inland, noting efforts invested in developing the settlements.
