Benin — Residents of Ikagbigbo have raised the alarm that gully erosion has been threatening to destroy many houses in the community. The community located in Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government of Edo State has witnessed houses, roads, flora, and fauna collapse under the devastating impact of erosion, raising concerns that if nothing is done to address the gully erosion ravaging the community, lives and property of residents might be at severe risk.
According to Daily Trust findings, many people have already lost their houses while many others are on the verge of being swallowed by the widening gully.
One of the residents, Abdullahi Kabiru, said erosion has become a nightmare in the community as many houses have already been destroyed by the environmental disaster.
He said, "Many people in their individual ways have carried out remedial works to at least stop the gullies from progressing but those measures had not been effective as the land keeps caving in, swallowing property, trees, and animals.
"We are at peace now because the dry season has set in. During the rainy season, we don't sleep with our eyes closed as those living close to the gullies would be afraid their houses might collapse and tumble down the deep gullies."
He blamed the development on the construction company that constructed the road decades ago, which he said, instead of channeling the drainages into the river, terminated them at the heart of the village.
Also speaking, another resident who gave his name as Abdulraheem, said the people are finding it difficult to go to the river to fetch water or wash clothes as the gullies have washed away the paths that lead to the river.
He said the gullies are so deep that people no longer risk their lives trying to cross them.
On his part, Yakubu Jimoh Ekemita said the erosion menace at this moment is above what the community can handle and it needed help from the subnational and national governments to be able to address it.
"It is destroying roads, houses, and other property in the community. We have tried our best through communal efforts by contributing money to clear drainages for free flow of water," he said.
He added, "We have also constructed barricades around the area to curtail the gullies but we have since discovered that such measures are no longer effective to withstand the gullies."
Yakubu, who is the Vice Chairman of the Ikabigbo Aloaye Development Association, called on the state government to come to the aid of the community to see how the erosion menace could be addressed.
"What we have seen now is that the erosion is above the community and government needs to be involved, so we are calling on them to come and help us"
The traditional head of the community, Bramaih Alegeh, said the community is doing its best to address the erosion problem with its limited resources.
"During the rainy season, the youths of the community desilt blocked drainages to ensure free flow of water and also sand fill some of the gullies before they eventually turned into a nightmare for the majority of the residents in the community.
"In the past, we wrote an appeal letter to the Federal Ministry of Works but they didn't come to our aid. Recently, we sent a letter to the Rep member, representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Hon. Dekeri Aamero, to help in getting the attention of the government.
Chief Alegeh said the Rep member had informed him that he had already raised the issue on the floor of the house.
"I have also tabled the issue before the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Comrade. Adams Oshiomhole and a member of the House of Assembly, Gani Akokhai both said they have tabled it before the Senate and state House of Assembly"
"The Ogeneni in council, through our clan head, the Ogenini of Uzairue, Imhonikhe Kadir, has also informed the local government council about the erosion menace in the community and we are hoping that all these would yield positive results.
He said while we were waiting to see if they could get a response from all their representatives in government, they were hoping that the dualisation of the road that passes through the community could capture control works on the gullies.
Alegeh added, "We are also hoping that the dualisation of the road that passes through the community would commence soon so that they can channel the water, which causes the erosion to the river.
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"We are hoping that once this is done, we will have respite as regards to erosion menace.
The traditional ruler, however, called on the federal and state governments to respond timely as delay would cause more damage and loss of property in the community.
Erosion has been regarded as one of the world's most serious environmental problems with wide-ranging socio-economic implications.
Daily Trust can report that erosion which has ravaged most parts of Nigeria, especially the southeastern and south-south regions of the country has impacted agricultural productivity, sustainability food security negatively.
Despite efforts to control the menace, many communities are still experiencing devastating impacts of the environmental challenge. The Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the World Bank had intervened by the establishment of the programme, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) whose primary objective was to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-watersheds.
