A group of Nigerians residing in the United States, under the umbrella of Nigerian Foreign Investors, have expressed strong opposition to the demolition of properties for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
They have also threatened to escalate the matter by petitioning the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Homeland Security.
During a protest held in Chicago on Monday, which was monitored online, the protesters accused the Federal Ministry of Works, led by David Umahi, of diverting the project route in the Okun Ajah area, resulting in the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
Speaking at the demonstration, several participants called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Stella Okengwu of WinHomes Global insisted that the situation required international attention, alleging that some property owners received inadequate compensation for their demolished homes.
According to Okengwu, some of the affected houses were valued at over N200 million, yet owners were reportedly compensated with only N26 million or N31 million. She described the demolitions as an “investment scam” and vowed to seek global awareness.
“I want to expose this situation to the world because these properties were legally acquired. Investors from America and other places came to Nigeria in good faith, only to have their properties taken away. If the Nigerian government does not address this injustice, we will ensure it gains international attention. We will push for an investigation by the FBI and Homeland Security,” she stated.
She further expressed her commitment to continuing the campaign, even if it meant staging protests across different states in the US.
Another protester, Adekunle Adeleke, highlighted the concerns of Nigerian investors in the diaspora, emphasizing that the situation was causing uncertainty and distress among them.
“There is growing unease among Nigerian investors abroad. We know how much we contribute to Nigeria’s economy, yet we are being treated unfairly. We urge President Tinubu to call the Minister of Works to order and ensure justice is done. We worked hard to make our money, and this is not how we should be treated,” Adeleke said.
Similarly, Babatunde Raji urged Minister Umahi to engage directly with those affected by the demolition, stressing that such a move would restore confidence in the Nigerian government and reassure potential investors.
The protest follows reports that some Nigerians in the diaspora have rejected the compensation offered for the project realignment. The affected estate was demolished in October by the Federal Ministry of Works as part of efforts to create space for the coastal highway.
Okengwu, however, insisted that the demolition was unjust, calling for adherence to the original 2006 gazetted route, which she claimed had been designed to protect existing investments and property rights.
She emphasized that investors had followed due process and secured all required approvals from the Lagos State Government before building.
