The Ilaje Omuro Community Connect (IOCC) has called on the Federal Government to investigate the alleged diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway away from coastal communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the organisation also urged the National Assembly and relevant anti-corruption agencies to examine the circumstances surrounding the reported route alteration and its financial implications.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its lawyer and representative, Babatunde Omobone, IOCC said the government should provide a public explanation for the decision and commission an independent engineering assessment of the proposed alignment.
The group, which said it has more than 1,000 members of Ilaje origin, challenged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to provide technical evidence explaining why the proposed coastal route was considered unsuitable.
IOCC argued that the decision raised concerns about equitable development, economic inclusion and environmental protection, insisting that affected communities should receive fair consideration in a major national infrastructure project.
To support its position, the organisation cited the Igbokoda-Ugbonla road project undertaken by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission and a 2010 Niger Delta Development Commission contract for the Ugbonla-Awoye axis.
It questioned the engineering, geological, environmental and financial considerations that could make the proposed Ilaje corridor impracticable, given that road projects had previously been undertaken in the area.
The group called on the Federal Ministry of Works to publish the relevant feasibility studies, geotechnical assessments, environmental impact assessments and comparative cost estimates for the original and alternative routes.
It also requested an independent review by qualified engineering professionals to determine whether the available options had been adequately assessed before the reported route change.
Although IOCC acknowledged that safety, environmental, engineering and economic considerations could justify changes to a highway alignment, it insisted that any decision to exclude Ilaje communities should be supported by publicly available evidence.
The organisation also questioned why the proposed highway could pass through coastal areas in Lagos and Ogun states but bypass the proposed coastal corridor in Ondo State without a detailed public explanation.
According to the group, residents of the Ilaje coastline continue to face coastal erosion, seawater incursion, inadequate transport infrastructure and limited economic opportunities.
It identified Abereke, Orioke, Magbehinwa, Idiogba, Mese, Ayetoro and Awoye Odofado among the communities affected by environmental degradation, which it said threatens homes, fishing grounds, livelihoods and cultural heritage.
IOCC warned that excluding the coastal axis could limit opportunities in fisheries, agriculture, tourism, trade and logistics by restricting access to markets and discouraging investment.
It therefore called for a comparative assessment of the proposed and alternative routes, covering construction costs, environmental consequences, projected economic benefits and value for public funds.
The organisation also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate any credible evidence of corruption, abuse of office or improper influence connected with the route decision or related contracts.
“This is a call for accountability, not a declaration of guilt. Any allegation of wrongdoing should be investigated fairly, and any findings should be based on verifiable evidence,” the group said.
IOCC further called on the Federal Government to consult affected residents, traditional institutions and civil society organisations before finalising the highway alignment.
The group maintained that it supported national infrastructure development but wanted the concerns of Ilaje communities to be considered fairly in decisions affecting the region.
The controversy follows objections by Ilaje and Itsekiri leaders to the reported rerouting of the highway away from parts of the coastline towards inland areas.
The Minister of Works has defended the reported realignment, citing difficult ground conditions and engineering challenges along sections of the original route. The competing positions have heightened calls for the government to make the technical and financial basis of its decision public.
IOCC said its demand was aimed at securing transparency, accountability and equitable development rather than declaring any individual or institution guilty of wrongdoing.
