Tension is building in Amazi, a village in the Umunakanu Ama axis of Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, as residents stage a peaceful protest over what they describe as a looming environmental crisis caused by the excavation of sand from a newly established borrow pit.
The villagers accuse a contractor—allegedly linked to the current state administration—of launching sand excavation activities without prior consultation or community consent.
According to them, the borrow pit is located dangerously close to their only major access road, already in a poor state, and now at risk of further collapse due to the excavation work.
Residents fear artificially-induced disasters
Fears of a potential landslide and worsening erosion have gripped the community, especially as the rainy season approaches.
“We have reached out to the Local Government Chairman to put a stop to this and up till today (Tuesday, May 6, 2025) nothing has been done,” said Nze Lucius Nnorom, a respected elder in the village.
“We are using this opportunity to call the attention of the Imo State government led by distinguished senator Hope Uzodimma to look into our plight and intervene on time.”
Community leaders say repeated efforts to get the attention of the Chairman of Ehime Mbano LGA, Hon. Francis Uche Nwodu, have yielded no results.
A delegation led by the village chairman and the President General of the Umunakanu Ancient Kingdom reportedly visited the local council to plead for intervention, citing the growing threat to homes, farmlands, and the fragile security situation in the area.
Operation describes as attack on community
Engr. Uche Okafor, a concerned resident, condemned what he described as “an unsolicited invasion of our ancestral land,” warning that the digging could cause irreversible ecological damage.
“This is more than sand excavation; it’s an attack on our survival and dignity,” he said.
Protesters, including members of the Amazi diaspora, carried placards urging Governor Uzodimma to stop the excavation and initiate repairs on the road linking their community to others.
They also demanded essential infrastructure—such as roads, potable water, and electricity—be provided, noting that neighboring communities already benefit from such amenities.
“Our people are living in double jeopardy,” said Nnorom.
“We lack basic infrastructure, and now, our land and safety are under threat.”
The villagers have vowed to continue peaceful advocacy until their voices are heard and tangible action is taken.
Thousands storm AGF’s office in Abuja
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that thousands of demonstrators flooded the premises of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja on Tuesday to demand immediate legal action against Mele Kyari, the recently dismissed Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The protest, spearheaded by a civic coalition known as Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, urged the Attorney General of the Federation to launch a comprehensive probe into NNPCL’s financial operations over the last five years.