Some Lagos residents in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA) who were issued demolition notice over the planned construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway have pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop the “unlawful and unwarranted” exercise.
In a letter to the president signed on their behalf by Jiti Ogunye, a public interest lawyer, the property owners accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of abuse of power and “unlawful exercise of ministerial discretion.”
The property owners pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the minister to abandon the new alignment for the highway at Lafiaji, Eti Osa LGA and revert to the original long-established right of way.
The open letter is titled, ‘Distortion in the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway by arbitrary deviation from the long-established right of way by the Minister of Works and the Federal Controller of Works, and the threatened unlawful demolition of property of owners and residents at Lafiaji community, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State – plea for presidential intervention.’
A lawyer, mr Ogunye noted that acting at the behest of the federal ministry of works, the Lagos State Government had marked some properties in the Lafiaji community for removal and demolition.
“Our clients include Professor Oluropo Sekoni, Dr. Kola Akinleye, Mr. Bonojo Olalekan and Mr. Festus Ogwu and many others who are well-respected, law-abiding senior citizens in this country.
“Our clients are constrained to write you this open letter as a desperate step to secure relief and save their homes and property from an impending unlawful and unwarranted demolition,” the lawyer said in the open letter.
