The House of Representatives has raised the alarm over devastating erosion threatening Odi Kingdom in Bayelsa State, calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to save lives, protect property and prevent the historic Ijaw community from further destruction.
The lawmakers warned that persistent shoreline erosion, reportedly aggravated by an earth tremor in 2025, had accelerated the destruction of residential buildings, public infrastructure and farmlands, exposing residents to displacement and worsening environmental degradation.
The concerns were raised in a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji, who called for immediate and lasting measures to halt the erosion and protect the community.
Odi Kingdom, situated along the River Nun in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, is one of the historic settlements of the Ijaw people, with significant cultural, historical and economic importance in the Niger Delta.
The community also carries the painful legacy of the November 1999 military invasion, which resulted in extensive destruction of homes and properties. Residents have since worked to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
However, the latest erosion crisis threatens to reverse years of recovery, with the lawmakers warning that continued loss of land could jeopardise the community’s long-term survival.
Oforji lamented what he described as inadequate intervention by relevant Federal Government agencies despite the severity of the environmental challenge.
The motion warned that failure to take urgent action could deepen poverty, force residents from their homes and expose the community to further humanitarian and socio-economic hardship.
It also highlighted the wider implications of the crisis for Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta, where erosion and other environmental threats continue to endanger vulnerable settlements, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Invoking Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the lawmakers stressed that the security and welfare of citizens should remain the primary responsibility of government.
They consequently urged the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministries of Environment, Works, and Water Resources and Sanitation, alongside the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ecological Project Office and other relevant agencies, to conduct an emergency assessment of the affected areas.
The lawmakers also called for the immediate design and implementation of permanent shoreline protection, erosion control and land reclamation projects to prevent further destruction.
They urged the Federal Government to make adequate budgetary provisions for comprehensive erosion control, shoreline stabilisation and environmental restoration in Odi Kingdom.
To determine the extent of the damage and the interventions required, the House proposed a joint on-the-spot assessment by its Committees on Environment, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Ecological Funds, and Niger Delta Development Commission.
The committees are expected to report back to the House within four weeks with recommendations for immediate legislative action.
The proposed assessment is intended to establish the scale of the environmental damage and identify practical measures to protect homes, farmlands and public infrastructure from further destruction.
The latest intervention call comes amid previous concerns over erosion in Odi. In July 2023, the NDDC announced plans to commence the procurement process for a shore protection and erosion control project in the community following an inspection of affected areas by its management.
The renewed concerns have raised questions about the progress of earlier intervention plans and the need for sustained action to address the environmental threat.
For residents of Odi Kingdom, the crisis extends beyond the loss of buildings and infrastructure to the preservation of their ancestral land, cultural heritage and livelihoods.
The lawmakers’ appeal has placed renewed pressure on the relevant authorities to move beyond assessments and announcements to deliver adequately funded and sustainable projects capable of protecting the community from further erosion.
