Erosion Threatens Onya Community in Delta State

Residents of Onya community in the Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State have raised concerns over severe erosion along the River Niger, which has persisted for over two decades. This erosion has reportedly destroyed homes, farmlands, schools, shrines, and ancestral burial grounds, with an estimated loss of about 10 meters of land annually in certain areas.

Ike Onyenokwe, President-General of the Ndoshimili Development Union, described the situation as alarming, warning that the community could become extinct without urgent intervention. He attributed the worsening erosion to the movement of oil barges along the river, claiming that up to 20 barges pass the shoreline daily at high speeds.

Community chairman Owola Ndozi noted that several houses, including part of his grandmother’s residence, have been lost, and the local primary school has been rebuilt multiple times due to erosion. Residents are appealing to the Federal and Delta State governments, oil companies, and other stakeholders for immediate action to protect their shoreline and prevent further destruction.