Residents of Festac Town in the Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State have protested the alleged sale of critical public infrastructure in the estate, warning that the development poses serious environmental and public health risks.
The residents, under the aegis of the Take Back Festac Movement, staged a peaceful protest on Saturday and accused officials of the Federal Housing Authority of disposing of facilities originally designated for public use.
The protesters identified some of the affected facilities as sewage treatment plants, waterworks, parks, buffer zones and security posts.
Speaking during the protest, the President of the group, Valentine Uduebo, described the situation as a threat to the survival of the estate and called on President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene.
“We are living in bondage here. Our lives are under threat,” he said.
Uduebo alleged that several sewage management facilities serving residents had been sold and that the new owners intended to convert some of the sites into commercial ventures.
He listed the affected sewage treatment plants as those located at the junction of 5th Avenue and 2nd Avenue, near the 3rd Gate on 7th Avenue, on 41 Road and on 21 Road by 201 Road.
According to him, the estate’s waterworks facility on 22 Road had also been sold.
“All these facilities have been sold. What is disturbing is that some people are claiming that the president approved these sales. That is not true. The president’s name is being used to justify actions that are causing serious harm to the community,” he said.
He also lamented the alleged sale of children’s playgrounds and parks, saying the facilities were created for recreation and community life.
Uduebo further accused authorities of imposing multiple charges on property owners in the estate.
He claimed residents paid building approval fees to the Lagos State Government and were still required to make additional payments to the FHA.
“Residents are being subjected to unlawful fees in the name of the president. We believe the president’s name is being wrongly used to justify these charges,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to investigate the transactions and stop the alleged disposal of community assets.
A medical practitioner and resident, Dumebi Owa, warned that converting sewage facilities to other uses could trigger serious health consequences.
She noted that proper sewage management was critical to disease prevention and environmental protection.
“If sewage is not properly handled, we risk outbreaks of diseases and serious public health challenges,” she said.
Owa also expressed concern over the alleged sale of parks and green areas, warning that it could worsen environmental degradation and the effects of climate change.
Another resident, James Ibekwe, who said he had lived in Festac Town for nearly five decades, described the alleged transactions as a violation of the estate’s original master plan.
He called on the Federal Government to reverse the transactions, insisting that the sales were illegal and unconstitutional.
The Chairman of the Oodua People’s Congress in Amuwo-Odofin, Monsuru Salam, also accused the FHA of selling a security post on 51 Road that serves three security zones in the area.
“As a security agency protecting lives and property here, do they expect us to simply watch as these facilities disappear?” he asked.
Salam appealed to both the federal and state governments to intervene and engage the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Council over the matter.
Reacting to the allegations, the spokesperson for the Federal Housing Authority, Kenneth Chigelu, dismissed the protest and questioned why the organisers had not formally presented their concerns to the authority.
He said many of the issues raised by the protesters had existed for over two decades and did not begin under the current administration.
“It has become a norm for people to wake up and start protests simply for publicity. Have they taken the time to come to the authority and channel their complaints?” he asked.
Chigelu said the FHA engages with recognised residents’ representatives and was unfamiliar with the group behind the protest.
He also disputed claims regarding the alleged sale of buffer zones and sewage facilities, arguing that the central sewage system had collapsed long ago.
“As for the sewage treatment facilities, the central system collapsed a long time ago. Have they shown you functioning treatment plants?” he asked.
The FHA spokesperson also questioned complaints about the alleged sale of the estate’s waterworks, noting that many residents had long relied on private boreholes.
While acknowledging the challenges of maintaining infrastructure in Festac Town, Chigelu said some of the criticisms directed at the authority were unfair.
He advised aggrieved residents to pursue established channels, including petitions and engagement with the authority’s Abuja headquarters and zonal office.
According to him, the Festac Town Residents Association remains the FHA’s recognised partner for community engagement.
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