There was a reported case of landslide in the community on June 27, 2022, which led to the displacement of over 200 natives of the area.
According to the natives, normal and agrarian life in the community has been discomforting and irking since the incident took place.
Speaking to our correspondent, on Sunday, a teacher at Umunna Comprehensive Secondary School, Okoro Onu, noted that going to work every day after the incident has been costly.
He said, “I am a teacher serving at Umunna Comprehensive Secondary School. Since 27th June 2022, we have been finding it very difficult to come to school because those of us serving here live in Owutu community.
“We are finding it difficult to come up to Umunna because of the incident. Since that day we have been passing round through Amigbo to Nguzu and down to Umunna. It is costing us a lot to come to work.
“Before the incident, I used to spend #400 to and fro. But now, I spend up to Eight Hundred Naira daily to get to school. My prayer is that God should touch the government to come to our aid. The government should help us clear the way for ease our movement.”
Another resident, Chukwu Johnson, on Sunday, said the incident had subjected residents of the area to untold suffering while calling on the relevant authorities to intervene.
He said, “I am a motorcycle operator. This incident has been a problem for us, for the past two weeks and we have been suffering it. Pedestrians find it difficult to pass through the road now not to talk of motorcycles and vehicles. It has been affecting my daily income because we no longer see passengers to carry. And any time we see passengers, we hike the price for them.”
Another native, Nnachi Anya, said, “The first time this thing started was in 2007. That was when this road was constructed by Brass Construction Company when all these retaining walls were built. We saw that since the retaining walls were not filled up in 2007, there was also a landslide and the land filled up itself but some areas did not.
“It was on Saturday night that we noticed the land sliding filling back the retaining walls. It fell on itself. Some houses were removed. Not more than four houses were removed.”
The traditional ruler of the Umunna community, HRH (Eze) Dickson Oboh, said, “At Umunna Ogwuma village, two weeks ago after a heavy downpour, we had a heavy erosion. We called it earthquake. But when the educated ones came and visited me, they said it is a landslide.
“What pained us most is that one house from there was submerged. Also, all economic trees and the economy of the affected community were adversely affected.
“What we did was to call the local government area Chairman and Coordinator for government intervention. This is the third time we are experiencing this in this community with enormous damage. You can see how both up and downsides of the valley were affected. The landslide has blocked the road. There is no movement in that area again. I had to trek out from the village as I was coming for this meeting.”
Also, the President-General of the Umunna community, Onuoha Ama, said, “It has affected my community and other passersby. There is no road there since the incident occurred.
“As we are attending this meeting, we had to cross that place with leg to the other side before we got a bike. We have told the house of assembly member and local government area chairman about the incident.”
