Senate Raises Alarm Over Edo Central Erosion Crisis as Senator Ikpea Demands Immediate Federal Intervention

The Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Joseph Ikpea, has called for urgent and coordinated federal intervention to address what he described as escalating ecological destruction ravaging Esan land, warning that the worsening erosion crisis is already threatening livelihoods, infrastructure, and community survival.

Senator Ikpea made the appeal while speaking to journalists after sponsoring a motion in the Senate titled “Urgent Need for Immediate Federal Intervention to Address Escalating Ecological Degradation Across Esan Land in Edo Central Senatorial District.

He said Esan land, which covers Esan Central, Esan West, Esan North-East, Esan South-East, and Igueben LGAs, lies within a fragile ecological zone of rainforest and derived savanna, where its terrain naturally channels heavy rainfall into valleys making it highly susceptible to erosion and land degradation.

According to him, the situation has reached alarming levels, with major erosion sites such as the Ewu gully erosion in Esan Central and the Ukhun–Emaudo corridor in Esan West expanding rapidly, cutting off roads, destroying farmlands, and encroaching on residential and commercial areas.

He also drew attention to the Ambrose Alli University axis in Ekpoma, where persistent flooding and gully expansion have resulted in displacement, infrastructure damage, and recurring disruption of socio-economic activities.

Senator Ikpea further expressed concern over the depletion of forest reserves in the region, noting that uncontrolled logging and agricultural expansion have stripped the land of natural protection, thereby accelerating soil erosion and land collapse.

Despite several ecological assessments conducted over time, he lamented the absence of visible federal intervention from relevant agencies such as the Ecological Fund Office, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and NEMA.

He warned that if urgent steps are not taken, the environmental degradation could escalate into a wider humanitarian and security challenge.

“When people can no longer farm or sustain their livelihoods, poverty sets in,” he said. “And where poverty exists, insecurity becomes inevitable. Our people are farmers, and once farmlands are gone, survival is threatened.”

The senator stressed that the motion was not only an environmental concern but also a socioeconomic emergency affecting food security, rural stability, and regional development.

He disclosed that although the motion had been pending for some time, it eventually received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate, reflecting the national dimension of Nigeria’s erosion challenges.

“This is not just an Edo problem. Erosion is affecting several parts of the country. That is why it received strong support from across the Senate,” he said.

Senator Ikpea urged the Ecological Fund Office, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to immediately conduct on-the-spot assessments and commence intervention works in the affected communities.

He also called on the Senate Committees on Environment, Ecology and Climate Change to ensure urgent release and effective utilization of funds for erosion control, land reclamation, and afforestation in Edo Central.

While acknowledging past efforts at the state level, he maintained that the current scale of devastation requires a robust federal response

He emphasized that the crisis, if left unchecked, could displace communities, deepen rural poverty, and further strain social stability across the region.

With the Senate adopting the motion and referring it to relevant committees, stakeholders now await concrete federal action to stem the advancing ecological threat in Esan land.