The Lagos State Government alerted the owners of the popular Landmark Beach Resort of its plans to demolish a section of the facility to make room for the construction of the coastal highway.
The highway is said to be part of the Lagos-Calabar road project.
The notice is contained in a letter to the proprietor of Landmark Beach Resort, Paul Onwuanibe, dated March 19, 2024, and signed by the Deputy Director (Development Matters Department) Tpl Shomolu O., on behalf of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
The Lagos state authorities issued Onwuanibe a 7-day ultimatum to quit the over $250,000 million beach resort so it could be torn down.
Onwuanibe, 58, explained that the government said his Landmark Beach resort – a top-tier destination visited by about a million local and foreign visitors last year – had to be removed as it “falls within the right of way” of a planned 700-kilometer (435-mile) coastal highway designed to link the former capital city to Calabar, a port city near the border with Cameroon.
Onwuanibe told CNN he had obtained the land in 2007 before the plans for the coastal highway were drawn up, and felt a mix of emotions after receiving the demolition order, which also urged him to file compensation claims.
“One was amazement, second was concern and the third one was, ‘is this real or is this an April Fools’ (Day prank in) advance?’” Onwuanibe said.
The beach resort which is valued at over $250 million, according to Onwuanibe, is home to over 80 businesses and provides more than 4,000 direct jobs. It also generates over 2 billion naira ($1.5 million) in annual tax revenue.
Thealso written the company in two different national newspaper on the demolition.