BY ANAYO OKOLI

UMUAHIA—UNLESS something is done and urgently too, another Abia community, this time Umunwanwa in Umuahia South Council of the state, may be a victim of pipeline explosion.

Scene of pipeline explosion

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Recall that scores of people were killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed in October, when an NNPC pipeline exploded in two communities in Osisioma Ngwa Council of the state.

Presently, serious danger is lurking in Umunwanwa as two pipelines, which the community said convey petrol and gas to Kaduna, from the Port Harcourt refinery, are now laying bare on the surface, because of massive erosion ravaging the community.

The massive erosion, measuring over 30 feet in depth, has uprooted the pipelines buried deep into the ground, thereby exposing them on the surface to the danger of lives of members of the community who now daily live in fear.

Besides, the huge gully erosion is also threatening some houses in the community, forcing the owners to relocate for fear of their lives as well as schools and churches.

Under immediate threat is the Umunwanwa Community Schools 1 and 2; now stand few meters away from rampaging gulley. The pupils of the schools have been placed under very close monitoring especially during their break time.

Two members of the community were said to have in the past lost their lives to the gulley when they fell into it.

To avoid any untoward incident, the community has engaged some people to be stationed around the area and monitor the pupils during school hours to ensure that none of them goes towards the playground which is one of the areas under severe threat.

The gulley has completely destroyed the shortest federal road that links Abia and Imo states, which presently can  only be manoeuvred by motorcyclists.

The people of Umunwanwa community said they live in perpetual fear especially during the rainy season.

According to them, they have constituted a community vigilante to guide the exposed pipelines 24 hours to avoid being vandalised by unscrupulous elements and throw the entire community into tragedy.

According to the traditional ruler of Ngodo Autonomous community in Umunwanwa, which is mostly affected by the menace, Eze Stephen Ihuoma, who conducted journalists round parts of the erosion gully, in company of the executive committee of the town union, led by Prince Ikedichi Nwaosuagwu, said they have made reports to the relevant authorities of the NNPC and the state government, some of whom they said had visited without any result.

They also said Senator Theodore Orji who represents them at the National Assembly had also visited and appealed to them to guard the exposed pipelines jealously to avoid any disaster while efforts are being made to find lasting solution.

Eze Ihuoma, however disclosed that a team from the NDDC visited the community recently to assess the level of damage caused by the erosion  and promised to do something to avert more damage.

But as at the visit last week, no sign of work, even palliative was going on as the members of the community continue to lament and live in fear.

“This is a Federal road now turned to a huge valley, it links Aba and Imo; Imo side is better. The community is being ravaged by this type of gulley erosion and nobody care. Yet, they come here to campaign during elections. Whoever comes here to campaign this time, we will bring here to see what we are suffering.

“We have done our best as a community but the problem is far above our capacity. We have reported to NNPC authorities, yet nothing has happened. We have been protecting the exposed pipelines to avoid vandalization.

“We have responsible youths who listen to the elders and leaders of the community, otherwise the Osisioma Ngwa experience would have happened here.

“NNDC visited recently to see the devastation and said they were asked to do only one kilometer. We are waiting for them to come and start. The way it is, some of the houses, including the schools, the church and some of these personal homes will not survive another rainy season. You can see them yourself”, Eze Ihuoma lamented.