Residents of Ikpa Ikot Uneke in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area are demanding urgent government intervention as worsening gully erosion cuts off their only source of drinking water.
The gully, which stretches from the Ikpa Primary Health Centre to the popular Urua Ikpa Market, has ravaged the area for over seven years. Community members report that the disaster has claimed four lives and destroyed homes, farmlands, and livelihoods.
Affected residents Anietie-Nte-Abasi Peter and his wife, Justina, recently abandoned their home because the expanding gully now threatens its foundation.
“The gully keeps expanding and claiming more lives and property,” they stated. “It destroyed three of my shops and four million naira worth of goods. My family now sleeps in our church or at the market to stay safe.”
The community notes that although government officials frequently visit the site, they never take concrete action to address the threat. The couple is now appealing for an immediate solution to prevent further deaths and protect the local economy.
“This road once led to the stream that provided our drinking water,” they lamented. “Officials come to inspect but never return with a solution. We need the state government to save our lives.”
The people of Ikpa Ikot Uneke insist that the government must act now to contain the erosion and restore their access to safe water.
