Abia residents laments as gully erosion, landslide threaten community

Residents of Military Zone 2 Estate in Umuchichi Village, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State, are facing the threat of devastation as gully erosion and landslides continue to ravage the area.

The community has called on the Abia State and Federal Governments to intervene urgently to prevent further destruction and loss of lives.

The chairman of the Military Zone 2 Estate Landlords Association, Ifeanyi Udoye, expressed grave concerns over the escalating crisis during an interview with reporters in Aba. According to Udoye, the erosion and landslides, triggered by river sand dredging activities in the nearby Aba waterside, have already caused severe damage, cutting off railway lines linking Aba and Umuahia and putting the entire estate at risk of being swallowed.

“If urgent preventive measures are not taken, the entire estate will be wiped out,” Udoye warned, urging the government to act swiftly to protect lives and properties in the community.

Other residents echoed Udoye’s fears. Ikechukwu Amajuoyi, a landlord, described the disaster as a ticking time bomb that has already destroyed large portions of the estate’s surroundings. Uche Akabuike, a widow, expressed her anguish, pleading for government intervention to save her only property left by her late husband. “I have nowhere else to go with my children if this disaster is not stopped,” she said tearfully.

Daniel Otuonye Nwogu, the Village Head of Umuchichi Community, highlighted the extensive damage already caused by the landslide, including the destruction of homes, railway tracks, and other properties. He described the residents’ plight as dire, emphasizing the urgent need for government action to avert further disaster.