Indigenes and property owners at the Military Zone-2 Estate, in Alaogwugwu, Umuokuru-na-Adile kindred in Umuchichi, a suburb in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, Aba, Abia State have cried to the government to help save their lives and property from a deadly gully erosion.
The call which was made to the Federal Government, Abia State Government, and Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Authorities came because of the speed at which the heavy erosion is destroying things.
Residents said that the erosion is currently taking over the entire Military Zone-2 Estate section of the Umuchichi community through the Okpu-Omuobo section of the Aba River.
The Landlords Association Chairman of the Military Zone-2 Estate, Mr Ifeanyi Udoye said that everyone living in the area is afraid, stressing that the gully erosion may have consumed the entire backyard area of the Estate and may bury the entire Estate deep if no serious intervention is brought urgently.
Udoye who described the gully erosion as a man-made deadly menace, explained that it all started because of the anti-environmental activities of sand dredging companies at the Okpu-Omuobo section of the Aba River which has consequently cut off a section of the Eastern Rail line that connects Aba and Umuahia.
He pleaded with governments at all levels and all institutions saddled with responsibilities to handle such matters to speed up their actions to save the lives and properties of residents of that section of Aba as well as protect public property like the railway.
Ikechukwu Amajuoyi, another property owner, lamented the speed with which the erosion is taking the surroundings of the Estate and pleaded with the government to help them, save them and their families from regretting investing in real estate with their hard-earned legitimate money.
A widow, Mrs Uche Akabuike in an emotional lamentation said that the fear of the gully erosion swiping away the only property her law husband left for her and her children and rendering them homeless, is gradually turning all her dreams into nightmares.
Mrs Akabuike pleaded with the Federal Government and the Abia State Government to do whatever they could to rescue her, her children and the property from the impending disaster.
Otuonye Nwogu, Village Head of the area said that the gully erosion which came to them as a surprise has already done heavy damage to the community including pulling out Government Railway Tracks that were constructed by the colonial Government to move goods and people from North to East.
Nwogu expressed sadness that the indigenes, property owners and their tenants who are residents of the Umuchichi community are living in fear of the impending doom and pleaded with the government for immediate help and response to save lives and properties before it is too late.
