C’River community raises compensation concerns
In response to critics of the removal of petrol subsidies and the introduction of tax reform by President Bola Tinubu, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) has described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects as an indication of infrastructure development that will boost Nigeria’s economy.
Adeola commended the President’s economic policies, saying the developments enabled the country to save over N10 trillion yearly.
However, residents of Okoyong community in Odukpani Local Council of Cross River State have raised concerns over the compensation process for lands acquired for the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway, calling on security agencies to intervene to assuage rising tension in the area.
The Ogun Senator, popularly known as Yayi, disclosed that before the removal of fuel subsidy, Nigeria was borrowing N7 billion to N8 billion monthly to subsidise fuel, which amounted to not less than N10 trillion yearly.
According to Yayi, Nigeria is now on the right track, with a predictable economy, a thriving micro-economy, and efforts to improve the macro-economy.
Commending Tinubu for implementing the reforms, the senator said they would build a new Nigeria that works for everyone.
He also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State for his development projects in the state, noting that the Gateway International Airport and Seaport had also given the state’s economy a boost.
In a petition dated January 5, 2026, the Association of Concerned Indigenes of Okoyong Community appealed to the State Security Service (SSS), the Cross River State Police Command, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other relevant authorities to review the compensation exercise, which it said had generated grievances among affected landowners.
The association stated that the highway project, being executed by Hi-Tech Construction Company, cuts across 13 villages in Okoyong, including Obot Ekpo, Kaifa, Oboroko, Esuk Ekom I and II, among others, leading to the acquisition of farmlands, economic trees and ancestral lands.
According to the petition, the community alleged that the compensation process was compromised, with claims that some rightful landowners were omitted, while persons without recognised land ownership ties to the affected areas were included.
The group said this created dissatisfaction and uncertainty within the community.
It, therefore, called for an independent review of the compensation register, clarification of beneficiary selection, and transparent engagement with affected landowners.
The group stated that it remained committed to a peaceful resolution and was prepared to cooperate with authorities by providing information as necessary.
Copies of the petition were sent to the Cross River State Government, Federal Ministry of Works, Hi-Tech Construction Company and other relevant stakeholders.
