Indigenes and residents of Iriamogu Village in Dindi-Ihiagwa Autonomous Community, Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, have appealed to the state government to urgently intervene in what they described as the devastating environmental impact of dredging activities along the Otammiri River waterfront.
The residents also expressed concern that the alleged degradation could endanger lives, destroy farmlands and infrastructure, and potentially pose a threat to electricity infrastructure located within the community.
The concerns were raised over the weekend when journalists and members of a civil society organisation visited the community on a fact-finding mission to assess the reported environmental damage and interact with community leaders and affected residents.
Speaking during the visit, the President-General of Iriamogu Development Union, Mr. Joseph Oforegbu, expressed concern over the activities of dredging operators in the area, describing the reported level of environmental degradation as unacceptable.
Oforegbu warned that the growing grievances could lead to protests if urgent steps were not taken to address the concerns of the community, particularly its youths, whom he said were becoming increasingly agitated.
He appealed to the Imo State Government to intervene promptly, stressing that the community leadership might find it increasingly difficult to contain the frustration among the youths.
Also speaking, the village Deputy President-General, Youth Leader and Youth Secretary — Mr. Mbawuike Christian, Mr. Ugochukwu Aharanwa and Mr. Chukwueke Chika — expressed appreciation to the visiting journalists and civil society advocates for undertaking what they described as a social responsibility initiative to draw attention to the community’s concerns.
The community accused a company identified as Marine Dredging Company of causing extensive environmental damage through its operations in the area. The residents alleged that portions of their lands and roads had been affected, while farmlands and other properties had also suffered damage.
The residents said they had concluded plans to stage a peaceful protest at the Imo State Government House in Owerri and other relevant government offices to draw attention to their grievances.
According to Mbawuike, “several attempts by the community to engage the management of Marine Dredging Company over the devastating consequences of its operations had failed to yield positive results.”
The community leaders further alleged that instead of addressing their concerns and complying with applicable environmental requirements, the company had allegedly used personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to intimidate residents.
“Dredging activities have been going on for some time now, but we had to draw the attention of the dredgers when we realised the devastating effect of such activity in our area. Unfortunately, they have shown no concern about the consequences of their mining activities in our village,” Aharanwa said.
They also alleged that the company had continued its operations despite what they described as an Imo State Government restriction on dredging activities within an 18-kilometre radius of the state capital, which they said covered Iriamogu and other parts of Ihiagwa.
The residents recalled that the Imo State Ministry of Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals had previously intervened by blocking the access road to the dredging site to prevent trucks from gaining access to the area.
However, Mbawuike and other community representatives alleged that the intervention did not permanently halt the activities, claiming that barricades later erected by villagers were removed by NSCDC personnel whom they accused of acting in favour of the dredging company.
The community called for a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment of the affected area and urged the relevant authorities to scrutinise the operating licence of Marine Dredging Company to establish the exact scope and location covered by its approval.
Environmental experts who accompanied the fact-finding team warned that continued dredging, if not properly regulated, could have long-term consequences for Iriamogu and neighbouring Mboke communities, including increased flooding, loss of arable land, possible groundwater contamination and damage to critical infrastructure along the riverbank.
They urged the state government and other relevant authorities to investigate the allegations, enforce applicable environmental regulations, determine the status and scope of the company’s operating approval, and, where necessary, compel the restoration of degraded sites.
The experts also stressed the need for proper community engagement and strict compliance with environmental regulations before any further dredging activities are allowed in the affected area.This version keeps the community’s allegations clearly attributed, removes unnecessary repetition, and avoids stating disputed claims—such as the 18-kilometre ban or alleged NSCDC involvement—as established facts without independent verification.
