Ilaje and Itsekiri Leaders Oppose Highway Rerouting

Leaders from the Ilaje communities of Ondo State and Itsekiri communities of Delta State convened a joint meeting in Lagos on September 19, 2026, to oppose the Federal Ministry of Works' decision to reroute the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from its original coastal path to an inland route. The resolution was signed by Barrister Austin Nonen Oboroegbeyi and Comrade Amaechi Omagbitse for the Itsekiri, and Dr Benson Enikuomehin, FCPA, and Dr Adeolu Austin Efotan for the Ilaje.

They called for a statement rejecting the alteration, asserting that the highway should pass through coastal communities. They claimed that the construction costs along the coastal corridor would be between N4 billion and N7.5 billion per kilometre, compared to N7.5 billion and N12 billion for the inland route.

They also disputed the projected distances, stating the coastal route is 100 to 110 kilometres, while the inland route is 170 to 190 kilometres. The stakeholders argued that the inland route would require more infrastructure, including bridges, and would not serve the coastal communities effectively.