Residents of the second Amekpa in Ekiugbo-Ughelli community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, have protested against the incessant illegal dredging activities at the back of their houses while calling for urgent intervention of the federal and state governments to rescue them from the imminent danger.
The protesters who carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Delta State Governor, come to our aid, rescue us from illegal dredgers’; ‘Ughelli North Chairman, Come and Rescue us’; ‘Let The Poor Breath,’ called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to wade in without further delay and rescue them from the hands of the rich.
The President-General of the Ekiugbo community, Comrade Baker Bernard, while speaking with journalists on Tuesday over the protest, lamented the hazards of the illegal dredging activities on members of the community.
He said, “When they (the protesters) came to me over the issue, I went to visit the place and I saw the dredging machine that was about 15 metres from the buildings and I said no, the dredger cannot carry on its dredging activities at the place.
“I will meet with the driver to cover the place and peacefully take away his equipment, as dredging cannot take place in this place because of its closeness to houses”.
He spoke further, “The local government chairman and Delta State government are aware. When the chairman called me, I was told that the Commissioner for Environment, Ejiro Jamani, visited the scene, and he ordered that the excavated areas should be refilled.
One of the protesters, Mrs Oghenekevwe Madalyn, said that the affected residents suddenly saw a dredger and excavator positioned at the back of their houses, “at a close where we have seven buildings,” on Friday morning.
“We couldn’t sleep at night because of the dredging activities going on about 15 feet from our homes, the vibration was much, and when we tried to stop them, they brought Ekiugbo community vigilantes to threaten us with guns and mercenaries.
“The Ekiugbo vigilantes arrived at the scene, arrested our armless mama’s son, and after much beating, they granted him bail with the sum of N20,000.
“We are calling on the Delta State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Commissioner for Environment, and Ughelli North Local Government chairman to rescue us from the threat and possible destruction of our houses.
“The cassava farm, goat house, and kitchen were destroyed by the excavator that dug a very large pond at the back of a house, and the fence of the compound was destroyed.”
