By DEBORAH AKPEDE

A coalition of Civil Rights Organisations (CSOs) has called for compensation for victims affected by the demolition of properties in the Okun-Ajah area of Lagos State.

The coalition expressed its grievances during a protest held on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Works’ Glass House in Obalende, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the groups carried placards and banners bearing various inscriptions expressing their demands, while chanting and waving them.

National Coordinator of Activists for Good Governance, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, appealed to the Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, to engage in dialogue with those whose properties were demolished and ensure they were duly compensated.

“Our demands are simple. In a road construction that involves the government, there is always a time for negotiation between the owners of property that have been destroyed and the government.

“Once he does that and there is an alignment or agreement between him and the people, then there will be fairness.

“But at this time, what we are seeing is an oppression against the people, ” he said.

Ihekaire alleged that during the minister’s last visit to the project site, a man identified as Mr Obanla—who works as a security guard in the area—was abducted by soldiers present at the scene.

He said: “We have been asking for his release, the minister should do the needful by making sure that Obanla is released to the family members, ” he said.

According to him, the Federal Government has been calling on Nigerians in diaspora to put down their money to invest in this country.

“Many whose property has been destroyed are in the diaspora.

“How do you want them to come again and put down their money when they have suffered labouring overseas? Putting so much effort in building structures and acquiring lands, ” he said.

He called on the President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the alleged injustice.

“Mr President should call for a committee of inquiry to look into what has gone wrong . That will definitely go a long way to showcase that he is a listening president, ” he said.

In the same vein, legal practitioner Mr Tahir Ahmad, counsel to the Foreign Investors Network of Nigeria, said the protest was prompted by what he described as an admitted case of illegal diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.

“Minister Umahi admitted in a public interview that he had to divert the road from its original alignment due to the presence of West African undersea cables, including one owned by MTN,” Ahmad stated.

Citing constitutional provisions, Ahmad pointed to Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which outlines the conditions under which the government may acquire private property.

“If the government is interested in acquiring property from an individual, it must: one, issue a formal notice of revocation; two, ensure the acquisition is strictly for public interest; and three, pay full compensation to the affected owners,” he explained.

“We are under a civilian administration, and one of the key pillars of any democracy is adherence to the rule of law,” Ahmad added.

According to him, his clients hard-earned resources in diaspora up to 250 million US dollars together to support the administration of the Renew Hope Agenda of the president, with the hope of constructing a beautified aspect of their own dream is now being demolished.

“The government refused to compensate them despite having all the document including certificate of occupancy,” he said.

Ahmad said that his demand was either Umahi gave them back their land, houses or compensate them with the current value and also pay damages to the foreign direct investors .(NAN)