President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been called upon to wade in over the alleged selectivity of the demolition of properties for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project

Diaspora investors under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Diaspora Investors (ANDI) accused the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, of illegal deviation and selective demolition of their properties at Okun Ajah Winhomes Estate, Lagos State.

ANDI?s claim comes on the heels of a call for their protection by President Tinubu, whom they ask to disregard the allegation that MTN and two African marine cables passed through the gazetted alignment in Okun Ajah.

The association, in a letter to President Tinubu made available to journalists in Abuja, said the action of the minister has left many investors feeling victimized and abandoned.

The letter, jointly signed by Dr. Olubokun-Basorun, Engr. Femi Adekoya, Dr. Arinze Onwumelu, and Dr. Kimberly Stark on behalf of over five hundred affected investors, said their faith was shattered by the unwarranted demolition of their investments, executed without prior engagement or legal notification.

ANDI claimed that they are in possession of credible information that other developers, such as residents of Ocean Bay Estate, paid substantial bribes to government officials to divert the coastal road away from their properties, effectively encroaching on their land.

This, the investors contend, not only raises serious ethical concerns but also highlights an evident disparity in treatment based on compliance with the law.

They added that on October 5, 2024, officials from the Ministry of Works, accompanied by military personnel and officials from the Lagos State Taskforce, stormed the Winhomes site, demolishing properties and seizing valuable building materials.

The investors have raised pressing questions regarding the alleged corruption and lack of communication, asking why a minister who initially approved the original alignment later reversed his decision.

?The need for transparent actions and accountability is paramount. The recent panel set up by the Ministry of Environment expressed concerns about the coastal road diversion, noting it did not consider ecological impacts that could exacerbate erosion in the area,? they noted.

?This lack of expert consideration further complicates the situation and encourages questions about the motives behind the road?s diversion,? he said.

Dr. Olubokun-Basorun, who led the investors to the site, thereby urged President Tinubu to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged wrongdoing by the Ministry of Works, emphasizing that law-abiding citizen should not suffer while those who act unlawfully thrive.

Basorun also implored the President to disregard any misleading narratives regarding the location of key infrastructure, such as MTN and two African cables, which they assert are misplaced allegations intended to justify the unwarranted deviation from the original coastal road alignment.

ANDI believes that with justice served, they can continue to play a pivotal role in Nigeria?s economic revival and infrastructural development. (The Guardian)

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