Onitsha-Owerri Federal Road Now Deathtrap In Oba

Information from Oba Community, one of the seven communities that made up Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State indicated that more motorists plying the ever busy Onitsha-Owerri Federal road are falling into the expanding deep gully erosion pit in the community.

It would be recalled that in less than a month ago, erosion cut off one of the dual carriageway close to Rojeny game village in-between the Oba new and Old roads juntion.

It was observed that the gully erosion continued to expand and cut off the Onitsha-Owerri road and gradually chopping off up to the nearby Petrol refilling station whenever it rains. The unprotected gully erosion for years connects several flood drainage waters in the Oba community.

According to the residents, a trailer with a tank fell into the pit on Friday night. Both the driver of the truck and the motor boy fell into the gully erosion pit but were rescued and taken to the hospital according to the residents.

Residents said trailers fall into the pit almost on daily basis because at night those not familiar with the failed portion of the road drive through into the pit.

Two trailers fell into the pit the very day the expanding gully erosion cut off one of the side of the road weeks back and ever since, flooding rains continue to chop the road and may soon cut off the remaining side of the dual carriageway completely if emergency repair not done on the road quickly, according to residents.

Adding that, few days ago, a car with passengers inside fell into the gully erosion pit with the victims rescued with serious injuries.

The residents appealed to the federal and states governments to act quickly to fix the expanding gully erosion and save the lives of thousands of road users from different parts of the country that plied the road daily.

The Onitsha-Owerri road served as a major commercial road for travelers plying through Benin and Enugu-Onitsha highways; connecting to; and through Owerri, the Imo state capital, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers among other states.