The Senate has called for urgent and coordinated intervention to save Ayetoro, a historic coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, following the progressive destruction of homes, livelihoods, cultural heritage and public infrastructure by Atlantic Ocean surges and coastal erosion.
The motion, sponsored by Sen. Dayo Faduyile, Ondo South, and dated Tuesday, 22nd October, 2026, notes that recent reports indicate approximately 80 per cent of buildings in Ayetoro have been lost to sea incursion, with devastating consequences for residents, schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship and traditional institutions.
The Senate said it is disturbed that the continued destruction has displaced families, disrupted fishing and other economic activities, threatened access to safe water and healthcare, and placed the future of the historic community in grave uncertainty. It is also disturbed that previous shoreline protection interventions have faced significant implementation challenges, including reported delays in earlier Niger Delta Development Commission contracts, thereby necessitating transparent verification of project status, expenditure and outstanding obligations.
The upper chamber expressed worry that the scale of the crisis exceeds the capacity of affected residents and requires urgent intervention by the Federal Government, the Ondo State Government, relevant development commissions and international development partners. It noted that the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, OSOPADEC, has publicly indicated that substantial financial resources are required to address the crisis, underscoring the need for adequate funding, sound engineering, environmental assessment and sustainable shoreline protection measures.
The Senate further expressed concern that further delay may result in additional loss of lives, property, livelihoods and cultural heritage, while exposing vulnerable families, particularly children, women and elderly persons, to worsening humanitarian and environmental conditions.
Convinced that immediate government intervention, transparent project implementation and effective legislative oversight are necessary to protect Ayetoro and other vulnerable coastal communities in Ondo State, the Senate accordingly resolved to call on the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Niger Delta Development Commission and other relevant agencies, to urgently collaborate with the Ondo State Government and OSOPADEC to implement a comprehensive and adequately funded shoreline protection programme for Ayetoro.
It also called on relevant authorities to undertake a transparent review of previous and ongoing shoreline protection contracts for Ayetoro, including their funding, implementation status, outstanding obligations and completion timelines, and to take appropriate action where necessary.
The Senate urged the Federal Government to explore appropriate budgetary provisions and international climate adaptation financing to support sustainable coastal protection, land reclamation where technically appropriate, and the restoration of essential community infrastructure, and urged the National Emergency Management Agency and relevant state authorities to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, safe water, healthcare support and temporary shelter for residents whose homes and livelihoods are threatened.
The chamber mandated its Committees on Environment, Niger Delta Development Commission, and Special Duties to liaise with relevant ministries, agencies and stakeholders, monitor implementation and report back to the Senate within four weeks for further legislative action, and also mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor compliance with the resolutions and report back accordingly.
