Lagos Coastal Road Land Dispute Raises Federal-State Jurisdiction Test For Tinubu

By Ayo Susan 

A concerned resident of Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Ismaila Alimi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in an alleged confrontation between federal government personnel and Lagos State officials over portions of land around the Lagos Coastal Road. The allegations, contained in a September 10 statement by Alimi, centre on the enforcement of Federal land reservations and the Right-of-Way of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

DEVELOPMENT:

Alimi alleged that Lagos State officials, accompanied by security personnel, moved against members of a Federal Government Task Force responsible for recovering and protecting Federal landed properties and enforcing the approved coastal highway setback.

He alleged that on September 4, officials visited locations around Kuramo, Victoria Island, Mayegun Coastal Road and Ilasan, Eti-Osa, allegedly seeking the head of the Federal Task Force, Mr Boomelin, with the intention of arresting or intimidating him.

Alimi further alleged that personnel attached to the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation were threatened, while officials allegedly returned on September 7 and erected real-estate billboards on portions of the affected properties.

DATA:

The alleged incidents occurred on September 4 and September 7, while Alimi’s statement was dated September 10. Beyond those dates, the statement provides no independent assessment or official response from the Federal Government or Lagos State Government to substantiate the allegations.

Alimi said the disputed locations raise questions over Federal reservations and the Right-of-Way of the coastal highway, which he described as a Federal infrastructure project.

SIGNIFICANCE:

The issue could extend beyond a conventional land dispute if competing government authorities are asserting jurisdiction over Federal reservations and infrastructure corridors.

Alimi also questioned alleged claims attributed to a senior Lagos State official that the Federal Government had no land in Lagos State and that Federal land was vested in the governor. He said any such position, if accurately reported, required clarification.

The wider allegations include possible encroachment, unauthorised allocations, questionable documentation, multiple title claims, fraudulent transactions, land grabbing and poor management of government assets.

NEXT MOVE:

Alimi has asked Tinubu to order an investigation, protect Federal Task Force and Surveyor-General personnel, withdraw any Lagos State security personnel allegedly deployed to the properties and suspend further construction, occupation, demolition or advertising pending verification.

He also called on the Surveyor-General of the Federation to comprehensively verify and demarcate the affected properties and coastal highway reservations.

OUR LENS:

The deeper issue is whether Nigeria’s federal and state governments have sufficiently clear and respected boundaries over land administration where Federal infrastructure intersects with state-controlled territory.

Alimi stressed that his intervention was not intended to promote confrontation with Lagos State, but to ensure accountability, verification of ownership and respect for the mandates of government institutions.

For Tinubu, the immediate challenge is to prevent an alleged land disagreement from becoming an institutional confrontation. The priority should be independent verification, clear delineation of jurisdiction and a lawful resolution that protects both Federal infrastructure and legitimate property rights.

Ayo Susan is a journalist, covering business, society and emerging developments with an emphasis on credible and engaging storytelling.