By Sunday Ani
Indigenes and residents of Okun Ajah in the Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have called on both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged sale of the coastal road alignment lands to property owners along the road.
They have also refuted claims suggesting that 2,000 houses were preserved by the federal government, through rerouting of the road, asserting that the actual number of houses in the vicinity fell short of the stated figure.
The inhabitants have squarely placed the blame for the current turmoil surrounding the coastal highway at the Okun Ajah corridor on unscrupulous land grabbers, who illicitly sold parcels of land on the coastal areas to members of the public who are aware that the coastal road is there.
The residents’ action was prompted by an alleged “appreciation letter” purportedly written by a local chief of the town, who stands accused of colluding with lawbreakers to erect structures on the coastal road alignment.
They also accused the land vendors of wilfully disregarding the laws of the land, and now scrambling to obstruct the original road plan. They are equally demanding stricter penalties and sanctions to be imposed on the culprits, while urging the FG to adhere to the 2006 coastal road alignment as a deterrent against future flouting of the government’s directives.
Responding to the letter, the Akogun of Okun Ajah, Saheed Olukosi, told journalists that, “It is a grand conspiracy perpetuated by the local chief, and his cohorts with the landlords who they sold the coastal roads to. The number of homes affected by the coastal road alignment is less than 100, and numerous houses will be impacted by the rerouting of the road.
“Their actions are purely mischievous. They are violators of the law and are attempting to deceive the government. It is an undeniable truth that they constructed their houses on the coastal road alignment, fully aware of the implications. What they seek to achieve now is to mislead the government into demolishing the homes of those who complied with the law and they are the same people that sold the land to the owners.”
The Youth leader of Okun Ajah, Noibi Otolowo, also debunked the claim that about 2,000 houses would be saved if the road is rerouted, describing it as a ploy by law breakers to evade punishment. He, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to maintain the gazetted route.
He said: “All these problems are needless. Already, there has been an alignment since 2006, which many of us adhered to. Some people disregarded the law, and now, they are trying to manipulate the law of the land. This must not be allowed in any way.
“One of their antics is to inflate the number of houses that will be affected. Where is the number of houses that they are quoting? Hundreds of houses will be affected if the road is rerouted. They are not saying anything about that. How can they leave the law breakers and decide to demolish the houses of those of us who maintained the law. The government should not listen to any excuse. They built on the coastal road alignment and they should be ready to face the consequences.”
Otolowo also denied the claim that the marine cable was on the coastal route. He said: “Marine cable is at Mopo 2, which is far from the coastal route in Okun Ajah. The government should do the normal thing to discourage lawlessness”.
Also, Alhaji Kareem Aregbesola, called on the FG to “do the right thing and save the community from the unnecessary drama, which has been associated with the coastal road in the community. The government should not set a bad precedent with how they handle the matter.