By Abbas Nazil
A devastating erosion crisis has hit Jattu-Uzairue in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, exhuming corpses and displacing residents, prompting urgent calls for government intervention.
The disaster, which worsens with each rainfall, has caused unprecedented damage to the community, particularly along the Jattu-South Ibie Road, where the cemetery belonging to St. Philip Catholic Church has been severely impacted.
Shocking reports confirm that erosion has exposed and washed away buried corpses from the cemetery into surrounding neighborhoods, triggering panic, emotional distress, and a looming public health emergency among residents.
In addition to the health risks posed by exposed human remains, many families in the area have been rendered homeless as the erosion continues to destroy homes and critical infrastructure.
Residents are appealing for immediate action from both the Edo State Government and the Federal Government to address the rapidly worsening situation and prevent further displacement and environmental catastrophe.
The crisis is not limited to Jattu alone, as various other communities within the Uzairue kingdom are also experiencing severe erosion impacts.
Local leaders and environmental observers are describing it as one of the worst erosion-related disasters in the history of Edo State.
The erosion has cut across multiple parts of Uzairue, with communities sounding the alarm over increasing land degradation, loss of property, and the threat to human lives.
To shed light on the seriousness of the situation, Subtle MEDIA Network and FOCUS TV Afemai, in collaboration with the leadership of Uzairue Sons and Daughters led by Mallam Sirajudeen Muhammad, conducted an on-the-spot assessment visit to Jattu.
Photographs and footage taken during the assessment revealed that the affected areas are not distant or rural farmlands but densely populated residential zones where families live, work, and raise their children.
These visuals paint a grim picture of roads being swallowed by gullies, houses on the brink of collapse, and entire neighborhoods facing the threat of being wiped out.
Community members and civil society organizations are calling on emergency management agencies, the Ministry of Environment, and ecological funds to be swiftly mobilized toward erosion control and relief efforts.
They stress that the lives, health, and dignity of affected residents are at stake and that further delay in response could lead to an even greater humanitarian crisis.
The residents also demand long-term sustainable solutions, including proper drainage systems, reinforcement of affected landscapes, and continuous monitoring to prevent future occurrences.
