Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Leaders of thought from the Ilaje communities in Ondo State and the Itsekiri communities in Delta State have jointly rejected the proposed rerouting of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from the coastal corridor to inland communities, warning that the diversion would cost significantly more and demanding that the original alignment be maintained. The resolution was reached at a joint meeting held in Lagos on September 19, 2026, and signed by Barrister Austin Nonen Oboroegbeyi and Comrade Amaechi Omagbitse for the Itsekiri nation, and Dr Benson Enikuomehin and Dr Adeolu Austin Efotan for the Ilaje nation. The leaders said the decision by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to reroute the road through inland communities was contrary to the vision of President Bola Tinubu.
According to the stakeholders, construction along the coastal route through Ilaje communities in Ondo State and Itsekiri communities in Delta State would cost between N4 billion and N7.5 billion per kilometre, while the alternative inland route would cost between N7.5 billion and N12 billion per kilometre. They also disputed the ministry's projected distance, stating that the stretch from Olosunmeta to the Itsekiri axis in Delta State is between 100 and 110 kilometres, compared with between 170 and 190 kilometres for the proposed alternative route. The leaders described Umahi's claim about the reason the road cannot go through the coastal communities as a "blatant falsehood," arguing that the alternative route is swampy, has difficult terrain and would require the construction of numerous bridges.
As part of efforts to pursue their position, the two ethnic nationalities announced the establishment of a tactical committee comprising representatives from both groups. The committee is expected to engage the Federal Government and relevant authorities, mobilise traditional institutions, youths, women, professionals and other stakeholders, and consider legal action where necessary to ensure what they described as justice, equity and fairness. The leaders also resolved to draft an all-inclusive memorandum involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, market women and opinion leaders across the Niger Delta, explaining why the Lagos-Calabar highway should remain coastal along the Ondo and Delta State corridors. An implementation committee will oversee the mobilisation and coordination of the resolutions reached.
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