Residents of Unguwar Abattoir extension in Abaji, the headquarters of Abaji Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are now living in fear as gully erosion is threatening their houses.
Abuja Metro reports that some residents of the area, whose houses are affected by the erosion, are now having sleepless nights with some of them vacating the houses.
The residents said the erosion, which they have been living with for over eight years, has consumed many houses, forcing the affected victims to relocate to other areas.
Mr Ayuba Danjuma, a resident of Unguwar Abattoir, whose house was affected by the erosion, told Abuja Metro that his four-bedroom flat collapsed two weeks ago as a result of erosion.
He said since he built the house 11 years ago, they had been making efforts to control the erosion until last week when the building caved in.
He said, “Since I parked into my house about 11 years ago, I have been working with my neighbours to buy stones for the control of the erosion. But this year, the erosion expanded beyond our control and the result is the collapse of the house.’’
He said the affected residents of the area had written several letters to the authorities of the area council for intervention but nothing was done.
“Those of us that stayed around this area met with the Mai Unguwar on several occasions and we wrote to the area council authorities to come to our aid in tackling the erosion but up till this moment, nothing has been done about it,” he said.
Another resident of the area, whose house was also affected, Yakubu Baba Kaura, said the erosion had become a nightmare to not only him but other residents of the area.
He said part of his house was pulled down by the erosion, which forced him and his family to relocate.
He said residents of the area drew the attention of the council chairman after noticing that the erosion was expanding for over nine years but the government failed to give it attention.
“This gully erosion gradually started over nine years ago and some of the elders mobilised to visit the council chairman recently, unfortunately, nothing was done despite several assurances,” he said.
He warned that the erosion might also cut off residents of the new market area, adding that it might also affect motorists plying the road in the area.
“The erosion has almost cut off the culvert, leaving just a tiny space for vehicles and motorcycles to pass. If nothing is done urgently, especially now that we are in the rainy season, the remaining portion of the culvert will collapse and the residents will be stranded,” he warned.
Similarly, residents of Unguwar Rafin Sahara have also expressed concern over the erosion that is threatening their houses.
The affected residents, who spoke with our reporter on Saturday, said the erosion, which had been expanding every year, has become a nightmare.
They said six houses were affected already.
A resident of the area, Shuaibu Ibrahim, blamed absence of culvert to pave way for free flow of water as the cause of the erosion.
“Whenever it rains heavily, you will see water overflowing into the houses. This has resulted in erosion, which is now affecting our houses,” he said.
Residents seek intervention from Ecological Fund office
Some residents of both Unguwar Abattoir new extension and Unguwar Rafin Sahara in the southeast ward of the council have called on the Ecological Fund office under the Presidency to intervene.
Some of the residents, who spoke to our reporter, said the council authorities under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi should, as a matter of urgency, liaise with the FCT Administration to control the erosion.
Malam Gambo Abdullahi, a resident of Unguwar Rafin Ashara, pleaded with the council to wade in and not allow the houses to be consumed by the erosion.
“Although the council chairman inspected the erosion in Unguwar Rafin Ashahara two weeks ago, I want to use this medium to call on him to quickly liaise with the FCT Administration and the Ecological Fund office to come to our aid,” he said.
Another resident, Usman Saidu, said there was urgent need for the government to intervene to tackle the erosion threatening houses at both Unguwar Abattoir and Unguwar Rafin Ashara.
“We have seen the efforts of the former FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, who was able to tackle the gully erosion at Unguwar Wadata along Agynaya road and I want to appeal to the present FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to intervene by addressing the erosion problem in Abaji,’’ he added.
What causes gully erosion- Expert
An environmentalist, Mr. Alfred Benjamin, who is also a lecturer at the University of Abuja, said there were numerous causes of erosion, which can be natural or artificially induced.
He said the underlying geology and the severity of the accompanying surface play a key role.
He said gully erosion was more prevalent in sedimentary terrain than in the basement complex in Nigeria.
According to him, erosion has been one of the natural disasters threatening the rural people, especially in the southern eastern part of the country over the years.
We have already inspected the two sites – council officials
Some officials of the works department of the area council, who preferred anonymity, told Abuja Metro that the works department of the council, two weeks ago, took the council chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, to inspect the erosion sites both at Unguwar Rafin Ashara and Unguwar Abattoir new extension.
The official said despite the ongoing strike, the council chairman invited the head of works of the council, who is a native of the area, to visit the two erosion sites.
He said the council chairman had already directed the works department to write a memo on the two erosion sites, which, he said, was expected to be forwarded to the Ecological Fund office through the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
