By Christopher Oji
There was tension at the Federal Ministry of Works Annex, Obalende, Lagos, yesterday, as a coalition of civil society organisations and residents of Okun Ajah staged a protest to demand justice for residents and investors of Okun Ajah who lost their lands due to realignment of road construction work in the area.
The placard-carrying protesters, who took over the road and blocked the gate of the ministry’s office, also called for the immediate unconditional release of one of their residents, Obanla, who was abducted from the disputed area by soldiers stationed there by the Ministry of Works.
They alleged that Obanla was unlawfully detained arising from the controversy surrounding land clearance for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The demonstration, led by Shina Loremikan, coordinator of the coalition, drew attention to what they described as a pattern of intimidation and high-handedness by government authorities and private developers operating in the area. The group alleged that their member, Obanla, was abducted by the military under the directive of the ministry at WinHomes project site, one of the contentious locations in the ongoing highway development.
According to the protesters, the ongoing realignment of the coastal highway, which has affected several communities along the corridor, is part of a broader agenda of land acquisition that lacks transparency and ignores the rights of landowners and residents. They accused the works minister and his agents of using state power to dispossess citizens, labelling the exercise as land-grabbing masked as national infrastructure development.
In addition to the protest, the protesters submitted a formal petition at the Lagos State Ministry of Works. The letter, addressed to relevant authorities, outlined their grievances, demanded reparation for displaced persons, and called for a halt to further intimidation and forced evictions.
A representative of the commissioner for works received the petition and assured the delegation that it would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters.
The coalition emphasized that their protest was not only about the release of their colleague but also aimed at raising public consciousness about the broader human rights implications of the ongoing land clearances. They vowed to continue advocating for justice and accountability until their demands are met and the rights of affected communities are restored.
The protesters said they would not rest until their requests are met.
They claimed they were in Lagos as a warning signal, stating that, if nothing was done, they would escalate the protest to Abuja, “We can resist the police or any other organisation that they would use to counter the protest; it would be better if the ministry respects our demands.”