Coastal Highway Crisis: Ilaje, Itsekiri Align Against Umahi Over Alleged Billion-Naira Route Manipulation
LAGOS, NIGERIA — In a historic show of regional solidarity, leaders of thought from the Ilaje ethnic nationality of Ondo State and the Itsekiri ethnic nationality of Delta State have united to confront the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, over an alleged plot to manipulate the route of the multi-billion-naira Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Following an emergency joint meeting held in Lagos, the two Niger Delta nationalities released a stinging communiqué accusing the Minister of “blatant falsehood.” They allege that his decision to divert the mega-road project away from its original coastal design and into hinterland communities directly violates the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Cost of Contradiction
The resolution presents stark empirical arguments challenging the Ministry of Works’ justification for the diversion. According to the joint leadership, the detour is not only logistically flawed but financially reckless.
The leaders outlined a direct comparative breakdown of the proposed modifications:
Metric: The Original Coastal Route Umahi’s Diversion
Route Path Olosunmeta through Araromi, Abe-Oroyo, Ugbonla, Awoye, Ugbege, Oghoye, and Ode-Ugborodo
Diverted away from the coast, cutting through hinterland terrain
Estimated Distance 100 to 110 Kilometres
170 to 190 Kilometre
Construction Cost (per km) ₦4 Billion to ₦7.5 Billion
₦7.5 Billion to ₦12 Billion
Terrain Profile: Straight coastline, structurally predictable.
Swampy, difficult terrain requiring excessive bridges
“The New Route will egregiously increase the length of the road and the cost,” the resolution states. The leaders insisted that constructing through the hinterland bypasses the very communities the coastal highway was promised to emancipate, while unnecessarily inflating the budget using swampier, bridge-heavy pathways.
A United Front and Legal Threats
To enforce compliance with the highway’s original plan, the Ilaje and Itsekiri communities have established a Tactical Committee and an Implementation Committee. These bodies are tasked with drafting an all-inclusive memorandum to the Federal Government, mobilizing traditional institutions, youths, and market women across both states, and preparing for imminent legal action if their demands are ignored.
The communiqué, signed by key representatives including Barrister Austin Nonen Oboroegbeyi and Comrade Amaechi Omagbitse for the Itsekiri Nation, alongside Dr. Benson Enikuomehin and Dr. Adeolu Austin Efotan for the Ilaje Nation, demands that the Ministry of Works maintain the sanctity of the original coastline route.
As tensions mount over the infrastructure project, all eyes now turn to Abuja to see how the Presidency and Senator Umahi will respond to this escalating structural and political standoff in the Niger Delta.
