Residents of five communities in Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, have appealed for urgent government intervention as a massive gully erosion continues to destroy homes, farmlands and public infrastructure.
The affected communities, Amamba, Ngwu, Amankwo, Agbozu and Eluama say the expanding erosion site has become a major environmental disaster, leaving many families displaced and livelihoods threatened.
During a peaceful protest, residents, including women and youths, carried placards and expressed deep frustration over what they described as years of neglect. Some of the protesters called on Governor Alex Otti and other political leaders to urgently intervene before more lives and property are lost
Community leaders disclosed that the erosion, which has expanded to more than seven kilometres over the past eight years, has destroyed several buildings, swallowed vast hectares of farmland, uprooted economic trees and left dozens of structures at risk of collapse.
The President-General of Ohabuike Amamba, Sir Nelson Umezurike, attributed the disaster to poor drainage resulting from previous road construction projects in the area.
He revealed that the communities had independently raised over ₦67 million for emergency erosion control measures, but the interventions were repeatedly washed away by floodwaters.
Describing the situation as beyond the capacity of the affected communities, Umezurike appealed to the Federal Government, Abia State Government, the Ecological Fund Office and relevant intervention agencies to urgently undertake permanent erosion control works.
He also called on Governor Alex Otti, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, to assist in addressing the environmental disaster.
One of the affected residents, Chisaraokwu Onyebuchi Onyeanusi, recounted how her family’s three-storey building collapsed into the gully in 2017, forcing her to flee for safety and leaving her without a home.
According to the community leadership, officials of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) and international experts have previously assessed the site, but no permanent intervention has followed.
The communities warned that unless urgent action is taken, the erosion could consume more homes, critical infrastructure and displace even more residents.
