Residents of Umudimisii-Umuoru in Uga, Aguata Local Council of Anambra State, are living in fear that expanding gullies could swallow their homes, roads and livelihoods as unregulated sand mining continues in the area.

The alarm was raised at the weekend by the International Society for Civil Rights and Rule of Law (Intersociety), which petitioned the Anambra State Government to urgently halt the mining activities and intervene before the ecological damage worsens.

In a petition to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, through the Commissioner for Environment, the group alleged that indiscriminate sand excavation had contributed to an environmental crisis that had claimed at least 10 lives over the past decade, submerged dozens of buildings and exposed thousands of residents to danger.

It also warned that the expanding gullies were fast approaching the recently completed Obizi-Uga Water Scheme road and other major roads in the community.

The petition, signed by Intersociety Head, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and human rights lawyers Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, said many homes in Umudimisii were only a few metres from the mining sites.

According to the group, continued excavation could expose the houses and surrounding infrastructure to further erosion, particularly because the Aguata-Orumba axis is already vulnerable to erosion.

Intersociety further warned that roads recently completed by the Soludo administration could also be damaged by the activities, particularly as heavy-duty trucks allegedly haul sand from the mining sites.

“The Nkwo-Obizi Road and St. James-Ugwunwocha-Obizi Road Project, which the government recently completed in Uga, are now prone to imminent failure/damage due to these unregulated sand mining activities,” the group alleged.

Beyond the threat to homes and infrastructure, the organisation said the mining activities were also affecting the local economy and the prospects of young people.

It alleged that erosion had discouraged businesses from locating in the area, leaving parts of Umudimisii economically inactive.

The group also expressed concern that the quick money associated with sand mining was luring youths away from learning trades and acquiring sustainable skills.

“For this reason, one hardly finds our youth learning any meaningful skill, especially life-long skills capable of sustaining them all through their lives,” it said.

Intersociety warned that allowing the situation to persist could deepen social problems in the community, with unemployed youths becoming vulnerable to crime and other forms of violence.

It further alleged that sand mining had become a source of tension in Umudimisii Quarter, Umuoru Village and Uga generally, and identified two individuals it accused of involvement in the activities.

The group called on the state government to conduct an immediate on-the-spot assessment of the erosion sites and determine measures to contain the damage.

It also urged the government to investigate the mining operations, including the alleged involvement of government officials, private individuals, firms and their associates, and prosecute anyone found to have violated the law.

It said the investigation should establish whether the mining activities complied with Community Development Agreements and Environmental Impact Assessment requirements.

The organisation also warned against allowing the area to become a breeding ground for youth militancy, banditry and local warlordism as disputes over mineral exploitation escalate.

“Finally, may it please your Excellency, the Olu-Atu-Egwu Ndi Anambra, to come to our rescue by granting our prayers above,” the petitioners pleaded.

Responding, the Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Myclem Aguiyi, assured the group that the government would look into its concerns.

Aguiyi described the alleged ongoing mining activities in Uga as illegal, saying the state’s Mining Reform Committee had previously taken steps to stop mining in the area.