Lagos–Calabar Highway:Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Petitions Tinubu Over ‘Sabotage’ Realignment In Ondo, Delta

LAGOS, NIGERIA — Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has urgently petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt the controversial realignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway. He warned that moving the route inland away from the Atlantic coastlines of Ondo and Delta States constitutes economic “sabotage” against local communities.

In a strongly-worded press statement issued from Lekki, Lagos on Monday, Adegboruwa called on the President to call the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to order. He stated that the structural shift fundamentally compromises the core vision of the 700-kilometre national infrastructure project launched in May 2024.

“For the people of Ilaje and other coastal communities in Ondo and Delta State, the concern is not merely about where a road passes,” Adegboruwa stated.

“It is about whether the promise of national infrastructure will translate into tangible development for the people whose geographical position makes them natural stakeholders.”

The Danger of Unequal Development

The 700-kilometre corridor was originally conceived as a transformative maritime economy belt to unlock the commercial, tourism, and fishing potentials of Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline. However, citing engineering challenges—such as difficult terrain, weak subsoil conditions, and construction costs—the Federal Ministry of Works opted to shift sections of the highway inland.

Adegboruwa cautioned that this detour risks triggering severe, unequal regional development. By bypassing crucial shoreline settlements, the government effectively cuts off local transport operators, farmers, fishers, and maritime investors from emerging commercial corridors.

“There is nothing special about the coastlines of Ondo and Delta States when compared with Lagos,” the SAN argued. He stressed that engineering challenges should prompt careful alternative evaluations rather than the automatic abandonment of vulnerable coastal access.

Demands for Transparency and Independent Audits

The petition outlines a seven-point urgent appeal to President Tinubu, demanding immediate intervention before permanent, irreversible infrastructure decisions are finalized. Key requests in the press statement include:

An independent technical review of the route adjustments, including a transparent comparison of alternative alignments, long-term maintenance costs, and environmental impacts.

The public release of findings from all relevant technical, environmental, and social impact assessments related to the new inland path.

A comprehensive stakeholder consultation involving federal and state authorities, traditional rulers, climate experts, and community representatives.

Guaranteed complementary infrastructure and access roads for any coastal settlements that are completely isolated by the final design.

“A coastal highway should create opportunities for coastal communities, not leave them wondering whether the promise of development has passed them by,” Adegboruwa concluded.

He urged the Presidency to ensure an evidence-based and equitable distribution of national investments.