Imo residents demand remedial measures against worsening erosion

Some residents of erosion-prone parts of Imo State have called for the government’s intervention to prevent further loss of land and property to the menace.

Farmlands, residential houses, and markets in many communities in Orlu, Obowo, Ezinihitte, and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas have been ravaged by erosion, while others remain seriously threatened.

Speaking on the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), some of the victims called for urgent action to forestall further damage to their farmlands and other property.

Those in Ehime Mbano, Ezinihitte and Mbieri complained that no real effort had been made to help them, despite several assessment visits by government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ministry of Environment, and other related agencies.

In Amaimo Umukabia and Umunumo, both in Ehime Mbano, flooding has rendered many roads in the communities impassable.

A resident of Umunumo, Ikechukwu Ohaegbu, said that some farmlands had been abandoned due to the erosion menace.

Mr Ohaegbu said the situation has worsened due to heavy rain this year and appealed to the relevant authorities to come to their aid.

“We get visitors from government agencies that are supposed to tackle our problem, but the response is low.

“It is not news that we have bad erosion sites but nothing has been done so far,” he said.

Also, a resident of Umuoba in Owerri North LGA, Kelechi Azubuike, told NAN that erosion had washed away roads, displaced traders from the Umuoba Market and made life difficult for them.

Mr Azubuike said the residents were on the verge of relocating to more suitable areas due to erosion.

“At the peak of the rainy season, cars dare not venture into this area.

“Flood has taken over our market. So, there is no road to even bring our goods to the market,” Azubuike said.

The situation in Owerri

In Owerri, the Works Layout and Aladimma areas have been taken over by erosion, while parts of Mbieri have been cut off.

A staff member of the Imo State Ministry of Environment told NAN, on condition of anonymity, that the ministry was aware of the erosion challenge in the state.

He explained that the government had put some measures in place to remedy the situation and prevent further damage.

He said the situation in Orlu is more devastating, with Uhuala Obibi Ochasi Community experiencing a two-km-long gully that is 75 meters deep and 100 meters wide.

He also said that the gully had eaten up several houses and displaced many families.

According to the source, Obowo LGA also faces serious threats from gullies, with at least 10 communities at serious risk.

Other communities ravaged by gullies include Mbaitoli’s Umueze-Obazu-Mbieri, Ehime Mbano’s Umunumo Ibeafor, and parts of Ikeduru.

The rest are Ibeoma Ekwe in Isu, Akwakuma, Amakohia, Spibat, Umuchima, Umueshi, Urualla, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, Amanator, Isiekenesi in Ideato and Ezialla Obizi in Ezinihitte.

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Meanwhile, residents of Umuguma Community in Owerri West have expressed gratitude to the Imo State Government for successfully redirecting floodwaters, thereby preventing the spread of erosion.

The Orlu-Akokwa Road, which was severely damaged by erosion, has also been rehabilitated, making travel easy and reducing the criminal hotspots reported in the previously damaged area.

The councillor representing Dikenafai in Ideato North LGA, Donatus Ebere, commended Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo for his administration’s interventions in infrastructure and erosion control in Ideato communities.

Mr Ebere said councillors from Ideato recently held a joint plenary session to endorse President Bola Tinubu for a second term and also passed a vote of confidence on Mr Uzodimma at the Umuchima Bridge, following its significance to the area’s past erosion and infrastructure challenges.

He explained that the construction of the Mgbee-Akokwa Bridge at Umuchima over the Orashi River, with concrete-stone sloping abutments, would help arrest the catastrophic gullies and successfully connect communities.

Remarks by NEMA official

A staff member of NEMA, Samuel Iwuala, told NAN that the agency had received a few reports from affected communities, adding that it visited two major sites in Ideato North and Ngor-Okpala LGAs in 2025.

Mr Iwuala said NEMA conducted an assessment of the reported gully erosion in several areas, which poses a severe threat to the lives and livelihood of the community.

He further explained that they had also conducted an assessment of an erosion site in Umukabia in 2026 and are awaiting further directives on how to provide assistance to the community.