Anxiety over worsening threat of landslide, erosion in Bayelsa community
Residents of Odi community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have raised the alarm over imminent landslide and coastal erosion threatening to wash away the community into the
Residents of Odi community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have raised the alarm over imminent landslide and coastal erosion threatening to wash away the community into the sea.
According to them, their village risks being completely lost if immediate intervention is not provided.
A recent erosion in the community left many homes and roads destroyed, with many displaced.
A source described the situation as increasingly worrisome, with fears that “one day the people will wake up to see their village vanish”.
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In an appeal circulating on social media, affected residents were seen appealing to Bayelsa State Government, led by His Excellency, Governor Douye Diri, and the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come to their aid.
They emphasised the need for swift measures to halt the environmental degradation, which has been exacerbated by heavy rains, riverbank instability and perennial coastal threats in the Niger Delta region.
Bayelsa State Government has previously responded to similar incidents in Odi, including on-the-spot assessments in areas like Isonbiri Compound.
However, residents insist that more comprehensive, sustained action—including erosion control projects and federal support through agencies like the NDDC—is critical to prevent further loss.
