Indigenes of
Egbeleku in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, have raised an alarm
over the dumping of foul smelling substances suspected to be toxic waste by an
unidentified company into swamp pits in the area.
They alleged
that the dumping was permitted by the leadership of the community after they
collected a bribe of N5.5 million from the firm.
With the
matter snowballing into a full brown crisis, SaharaReporters reliably learned
that community members have been threatened with death should they show
strangers the dumping site or involve the media in the issue.
Confiding in
our correspondent during an undercover visit to one of the multiple dump sites
in the company of a non-indigene who resides in the area, one of the indigenes
said the dumping began last month and that nobody was allowed to go near the
site, which is off the yet-to-be-tarred Eku Road.
The
indigene, who identified himself simply as Ujawei, added that already some
persons in the community are currently facing serious threats and harassment
for daring to challenge the shady deal.
"Our
lives, both non-indigenes and indigenes, [are] seriously in danger following
the dumping of the dangerous substances in the community. Some leaders and few
persons in the community were compromised and these persons are those
threatening the people against the exposure of the whole thing. The community
leaders have vowed to deal with anyone that will go to the site and disrupt the
dumping of the toxic," the non-indigene said.
Various
sources in the community expressed concern about the consequences of the
dumping, with many deciding to remain mute so as not to attract wrath of the
community leadership.
"Some
of us the indigenes have taken our time to secretly visit the site which was
dug by earth moving equipment,” one of them said. “We saw the multiple dump
sites where an unknown company is dumping some smelling sludge into dugout
swamp pits along the yet to be tarred Eku Road in Egbeleku community. We are
using this opportunity to call on all relevant authorities especially the local
government council chairman, Delta State Ministry of Environment and Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa to come to our aid before it is too late."
Also
speaking under condition of anonymity, a visibly worried middle-aged woman,
gave the names of some of the community leaders who allegedly received the N5.5
million bribe to include, Mr. Alex Ayeya, Chairman of the community; Mr. Luke
Ezeighu, Secretary; Mr. Vote Oghojafor and Mr. OnlyGod Usiakponebro.
In her
words, "A firm came to the community and settled the chairman, his
secretary and other leaders some weeks back [who] gave express permission to
the firm to begin the dumping of this smelling brownish waste believed to be
toxic into some pits dug by the firm with caterpillars. Because of the threat
and fear, we refused to question the secret way and manner with which they
control movement of the unknown product into the community.”
She noted
that in order to ensure the deal was not exposed, some individuals in the
community are being monitored by youths hired by the leadership of the
community.
“We have
also come to discovered that the community leaders shared some money to some
indigenes considered to be strong voices in the community to shut their mouths,
and warned others persons who declined the offer. These are the set of people
the leadership is monitoring now," the woman stated.
Our
correspondent further gathered that, that the issue was reported to the Okpe
council environmental department to intervene because of the health dangers it
constitutes but that no action was taken.
A female
staff at the Okpe council environmental department who pleaded for anonymity
confirmed to SaharaReporters that there were complaints from some persons from
the community. Wondering why the matter
has yet to be followed up, she lamented that the dumping could pose a serious
danger to the health of the people and called on law enforcement, the state
government and industry regulators to wade in and investigate the matter, with
punishment served to offenders.
When
contacted, the chairman of Okpe local government council, Mr. Godwin Ejinyere,
and the Delta State commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani, denied any
knowledge of the dumping of the toxic waste in Egbeleku community, saying
nobody has brought any such complaints to them.
The two
government officials however promised to immediately send their officials to
the site to see things for themselves.
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