Mbiokporo Obio in Fear as Villagers Beg Gov Eno to Stop ‘Highly Connected’ Illegal Sand Miner

Mbiokporo Obio in Fear as Villagers Beg Gov Eno to Stop ‘Highly Connected’ Illegal Sand Miner

Fear and anxiety now hang heavily over residents of Mbiokporo Obio in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area as villagers cry out to the Akwa Ibom State government to rescue them from what they describe as a looming environmental and humanitarian disaster.

When this reporter visited the community at the weekend, the scene told a troubling story. A vast stretch of land had been dug deep into the earth, leaving behind a massive gully that now threatens surrounding buildings and livelihoods.

Homes stand dangerously close to the excavation site. Cracks have begun to appear on some structures. Residents say with the rainy season approaching, the ground could give way at any moment.

The villagers blame their ordeal on the activities of one Mr. Nsikak Edet Nathaniel Udo, popularly known as Engr. Nsikakabasi Udo Idiaha, who they accuse of carrying out illegal sand excavation in the built-up Ikot Itighe axis of the village.

According to the community, the suspect allegedly purchased the land from locals under the pretext of building a hotel. But instead of the promised development, heavy excavators, tippers and even dredging equipment soon appeared at the site, turning the area into a dangerous borrow pit.

“What we are seeing here is frightening,” said Akparawa Okon John Enoh, the Youth President of Mbiokporo Obio, who spoke on behalf of the community following the death of the village head.

Standing beside the massive pit, he lamented that the excavation has continued unchecked despite repeated pleas from villagers.

“Our people are living in fear. Houses are very close to this place. If the rains begin fully, many of these buildings will collapse. We have already lost two persons as a result of incidents linked to this excavation. Yet the man refuses to stop,” he said.

Enoh further alleged that every attempt by the community to halt the operation has been ignored.

“He tells us nobody can remove him from here. He keeps boasting that he is highly connected. We are poor villagers. We cannot fight him. That is why we are appealing to the governor and the Ministry of Environment to come and see what is happening here,” he added.

A walk around the area showed houses perched precariously close to the expanding pit. Some residents said their buildings have begun to sink slowly, while others fear that the land may slide once heavy rainfall begins.

A family head of the suspect, Chief Okon Etim Okon, described the development as a ticking time bomb.

“This is not just an environmental issue. It is a threat to human lives,” he said emotii.

“People built their houses here believing it was safe. Now the ground is being removed under their feet. If government does not intervene quickly, we may wake up one day to hear that houses and families have been swallowed.”

Another resident, a meat seller at Itam Market, Madam Nsisong, whose house stands not far from the excavation zone, said many families now sleep with fear.

“Each time we hear the machines digging at night, our hearts skip. We are afraid. The place is already too deep. If rainwater begins to fill that place and the soil starts sliding, our houses will go down,” he said.

Residents insist that the excavation has not only defaced the environment but has also placed the lives of indigenes and non-indigenes in grave danger.

The community, which lies close to the boundary with Uyo Local Government Area and near the Nest of Champions corridor, has witnessed rapid development in recent years. Many houses, both old and new, now dot the area.

But villagers say the illegal mining activities now threaten to undo years of growth.

According to the youth leader, the community lacks the financial capacity to confront the operator legally or repair the environmental damage already caused.

“We are ordinary villagers. The man is wealthy and influential. We do not have the money to fight him in court or stop his machines. That is why we are crying out to Governor Umo Eno and the Ministry of Environment to come to our rescue before disaster happens,” Enoh pleaded.

The villagers say they have already petitioned authorities, warning that if urgent action is not taken, the situation could escalate into a major tragedy once the rains begin in earnest.

For now, residents of Mbiokporo Obio wait anxiously, hoping their cry for help will reach the ears of government before the earth beneath their homes gives way.