Erosion Forced Us Out Of Homes, Kwara Leaders Lament

Residents of some communities in the Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Ilorin West local government areas of Kwara State have expressed concern over the erosion problems troubling them for over two decades.

The affected communities are Abata Jagun and Ifesowapo in Ilorin East, the Akorede community in Ilorin South, and the Abata-Suban community in Ilorin West.

The chairman of the Abata Jagun community in Mal, Solihu Ariyo, decried the degree of degradation the erosion has caused their environment, saying that the development is negatively impacting the socioeconomic development of the area.

He disclosed that the situation has forced many residents out of their houses, adding that the erosion has cut off the community from accessing other parts of the Ilorin metropolis.

Another community leader, Alh Yahaya Cisse, said that the community’s efforts to get the previous administrations in the state to come to their aid proved abortive.

Cisse, however, called on the state and federal government to assist in channelling and dredging the river that passes through the community.

The Akorede community in the Ilorin South local government area also faces a severe environmental challenge as it grapples with massive gully erosion.

LEADERSHIP observed that the effects of the gully erosion manifested in some residential buildings, with cracks in the walls and the only access road serving the community, almost chopped off.

A community leader, Mr Adeolu Adebayo, said: “The erosion continues to expand, and our homes are at risk of collapsing. We need urgent action before it’s too late,” adding that any signal that it will rain is a nightmare for members of the community.

The community landlord, Ayodeji Abubakar, said there is no peace of mind during the rainy season.

The Abata-Suban in Ilorin West is another community where erosion has displaced many residents.

The head of the Ecology and Conservation Unit in the state Ministry of Environment, Mr Ilyas AbdulGaniyu, said that the Ecological Project Office in the Presidency is responsible for executing ecological projects in any federation state.

However, he stated that the only ongoing ecological project in the state is the dredging and construction of the embankment of the Asa River in Ilorin. He said that the ministry’s only involvement is in supervising the project.