Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
Danger looms in Kom-Kom community in Oyigbo local government area after gully erosion hit the area thereby affecting the Port Harcourt- Maiduguri rail track.
This is happening barely one year after a pipeline explosion in the area killed over a hundred people.
Kom-Kom residents cry for help
The residents of Kom-Kom community while lamenting the incident said they are now living in fear following the gully erosion.
Speaking to our correspondent, one of the residents of Kom-Kom community and a farmer, Ngozi Ben said her farm produce have been destroyed due to erosion.
“It started since last year and we’ve been begging Shell and Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC to come and do something about it but to no avail, when they come, they will take pictures and go.
“But this year, it got worse. If you look very well, you will see a mango tree that fell inside the pit due to the erosion. And the government of the day is pleading that we should go into agriculture and we planted cassava, banana, breadfruit but all of them fell into the pit. Please we are begging on the government to come to our aid and help us mitigate the erosion” she said.
Another resident of Kom-Kom who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they cannot access their farmlands due to erosion.
She also called on the government to assist them in the erosion.
“Most times we use our trucks to fell firewood but now we cannot pass this place because of the erosion. We cannot access our farms, my children cannot pass this place. So we’re just pleading that the government should help us. We are afraid because of our children because we don’t know what will happen next” she said.
Community Leaders seek for help
The Paramount Ruler of Kom-Kom Community and the Regent of Chief Ezekiel Hart from Bonny, Chief Lazarus Arunsi called on relevant government agencies to come to curb the erosion menace.
He said life is no more meaningful for the people of Kom-Kom community because of the erosion.
Also the Chairman of Community Development Committee of Kom-Kom, Celestine Okereke said they have done a lot of remedial works on the erosion site.
He said the erosion is now beyond the capacity of the community and therefore called on government at all levels to come and salvage the situation.
Council Chairman sympathize with Kom-Kom Community
The Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Prince Gerald Oforji has sympathized with residents of Kom-Kom community over the gully erosion has affected their means of livelihood.
Gerald Oforji while speaking to newsmen on the incident, however, called for calm among Kom-Kom residents.
According to him, he said the council is making every necessary effort to reach out to the relevant government agencies responsible for managing environmental issues.
He said that the council will continue to monitor the situation so as to avert any danger that could lead to loss of lives of residents.
