The demolition of buildings on the right of way of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road has been flagged off by the Minister of Works and former governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi.
The demolition exercise began at the Mani Chula Beach, Oniru Waterfront on Saturday, even as the minister has said that compensation for owners of the affected structures had been adequately factored into the project and urged those affected to see the greater good of the project.
The demolition process is expected to continue for some days.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Korede Keisha, had on Thursday, asked all those whose houses were marked for demolition to come to the Ministry’s Secretariat in Lagos to sort out whatever process was required by the ministry, pointing out that the demolition squad would move in on Saturday to begin the removal of the marked properties.
Umahi recently said the 700 kilometres Lagos- Calabar coastal road construction will cost N4bn per kilometre or N15.36 trillion altogether. 
It is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, before culminating in Cross River.
The project has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians including the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, who described it as misplaced priority by the Federal Government. 

Furthermore, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 elections, also, described the project as a fraud, a comment which was refuted by the Presidency.
The road will be completed in eight years.