Gully Erosion Destroys 30 Houses, Cuts Off Edo Community

More than 30 houses have been destroyed by a devastating gully erosion in Agor-Uwagboe community, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, leaving residents in distress and appealing to Governor Monday Okpebholo for urgent intervention.

The erosion has also cut off the community’s access road linking it to Ofumwengbe and Egbiri communities, making movement increasingly difficult and disrupting residents’ daily activities.

In an attempt to ease the hardship, residents have constructed a wooden bridge to enable motorcycles to pass through the affected area.

The residents made the appeal during a peaceful protest in Benin City to draw the attention of the Edo State Government to the worsening erosion and the threat it poses to homes, livelihoods and human lives.

A community member, Mr Ernest Uwagboe, said the gully was gradually extending into the settlement, raising fears that more houses could be destroyed if urgent measures were not taken to control its spread.

Uwagboe warned that the entire community could be swallowed by the erosion within the next three years if the government failed to intervene.

The community spokesman, Kenneth Adoni, said residents had written several letters to relevant government agencies seeking assistance, but their appeals had yet to yield any positive response.

He lamented that the erosion had severely disrupted daily life, particularly for schoolchildren who struggle to access neighbouring communities during the rainy season.

“We are begging Governor Monday Okpebholo to come and help us. For the past three years, the gully has caused lots of problems. We cannot cross to other communities. Whenever it rains, children cannot go to school,” Adoni said.

The protesters appealed to Okpebholo and relevant authorities to urgently provide a lasting solution to the erosion and prevent further destruction.

They warned that continued neglect could lead to the loss of additional houses and livelihoods, as well as the eventual displacement of residents.