Tension is reportedly rising around some areas of the Lagos Coastal Road project following allegations of a disagreement between officials of the Lagos State Government and a Federal Government task force working on Federal land and the approved coastal highway setback.

The situation has raised concerns about a possible clash between Federal and State authorities, with calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene before the matter gets out of hand.

The allegations involve some Lagos State officials, including CSP Shola Jejeloye of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Tayo Akerele of the Lagos State Task Force, Dr. Jide Abiodun, Special Adviser to the Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, and Bldr. Omolola Florence Gbaye of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, among others.

It is important to note that the allegations require proper investigation and confirmation by the relevant authorities.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Federal Government has maintained that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is a Federal Government project and that relevant Federal agencies are responsible for issues concerning Federal land, surveys, government reservations and the highway’s Right-of-Way.

According to eyewitness accounts, on September 4, 2026, some Lagos State officials, accompanied by police personnel, reportedly visited areas around Kuramo in Victoria Island, Mayegun Coastal Road and Ilasan in Eti-Osa.

The locations are said to be areas where members of the Federal Government Task Force had been carrying out their duties.

The officials reportedly asked for the Head of the Federal Task Force, Mr. Boomelin. There were also allegations that some personnel working with the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation were threatened or intimidated.

On September 7, the Lagos State officials reportedly returned to some of the affected locations. According to the allegations, they entered parts of the land and put up real-estate billboards despite the presence of the Federal Task Force and its security arrangements.

If these allegations are confirmed, they could become more than just a disagreement over land. They could raise serious questions about the powers of Federal and State authorities and whether State security personnel can be used against Federal officials carrying out an official assignment.
WHO GAVE THE ORDER?

The development has raised several questions that Nigerians deserve answers to.

Who authorized the deployment of police personnel to the disputed properties?

Who authorized the alleged attempt to arrest or intimidate Federal Task Force officials?

Who authorized the reported entry into the affected properties and the erection of billboards?

Most importantly, under what law or authority were these actions carried out?

There have also been reports attributed to a senior Lagos State official suggesting that the Federal Government does not own land in Lagos State and that Federal land is under the control of the Governor.

If such statements were indeed made, they should be properly clarified because they touch on an important issue involving the relationship between the Federal Government and Lagos State.
THE LAND DISPUTE

The Federal Government’s intervention reportedly followed concerns about encroachment on government land, unauthorized allocations, questionable land documents, multiple claims of ownership and alleged fraudulent land transactions.

The Federal Task Force was reportedly set up to help identify and recover Federal properties, verify land documents, protect Federal Right-of-Way areas and ensure that the required setbacks for the coastal highway are respected.

If the task force has discovered problems with land allocations or ownership documents, the matter should be properly investigated and resolved through the appropriate legal and government channels.

Threats, intimidation or the use of force should not be allowed to replace proper investigation and lawful resolution.

CALL FOR PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION

With the disagreement becoming increasingly public, there are calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and prevent the situation from developing into a confrontation between Federal and Lagos State authorities.

The President is being urged to:

Ensure that security personnel are not deployed to interfere with Federal Government operations or properties. Protect Federal Task Force personnel and officials working with the Surveyor-General of the Federation. Stop further construction, occupation, development or advertisement on the disputed properties until ownership and boundaries are properly verified. Order an investigation into the reported use of security personnel during the dispute. Ensure that security agencies remain neutral and prevent any confrontation between Federal and State officials. Direct the Surveyor-General of the Federation to properly survey and confirm the boundaries of the affected properties and the coastal highway Right-of-Way. Ensure that anyone found to have abused public office, illegally occupied government land or obstructed lawful government activities faces the appropriate legal consequences.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT FIGHTING LAGOS

The issue should not be seen as a fight between Lagos State and the Federal Government.

Lagos is part of Nigeria, and both levels of government have constitutional responsibilities that require them to work together.

A disagreement over land should not be allowed to become a political battle or a confrontation between government officials and security agencies.

The important questions are simple: Who owns the land? What are the approved boundaries? Who has the legal authority over the property? And were the officials involved acting within the law?

These questions should be answered through proper investigation and the law.

A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

The Federal Government needs to establish who authorized the actions that have been alleged, why they were carried out and whether government security resources were used to interfere with Federal operations.

President Tinubu is therefore being urged to act quickly to prevent the disagreement from escalating.

Nigeria cannot afford a situation where Federal and State officials begin confronting one another over government property and infrastructure.

The goal should not be confrontation with Lagos State. The goal should be law, order, accountability and respect for the Constitution.

The public should remain calm while the relevant authorities investigate the allegations and work toward a peaceful and lawful resolution.