The people of Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State have openly supported the Federal Government’s plan to route the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. The community said it welcomes the project because it will bring development, open up the area to investors, and improve access to the region.

The support from Ibeno comes amid disagreements over who owns the forest reserve, with leaders from neighbouring Eket and Esit Eket areas earlier warning contractors to stay away. However, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has asked all parties to allow the project to move forward, while the state government clarified that no single ethnic group legally owns the reserve based on historical court rulings.

During a peaceful rally, Ibeno residents dressed in white and carried placards calling for dialogue and development. Community leaders thanked President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio for the project and praised Governor Eno for handling the dispute calmly. They said the highway would help attract businesses and create new opportunities for young people in the area.

Speakers at the rally also appealed for continued peace and restraint, stressing that development should not be blocked by conflict. They urged all communities involved to choose dialogue over dispute and allow the coastal highway project to move forward for the benefit of Akwa Ibom State and the country at large.