The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to urgently address severe erosion in Odi Kingdom, Bayelsa State, warning that the historic Ijaw community could face extinction without immediate remedial action. The demand followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by lawmaker Oboku Oforji during Tuesday’s plenary session. The House called for budgetary […]
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to urgently address severe erosion in Odi Kingdom, Bayelsa State, warning that the historic Ijaw community could face extinction without immediate remedial action.
The demand followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by lawmaker Oboku Oforji during Tuesday’s plenary session. The House called for budgetary support and the deployment of relevant government agencies to tackle the environmental crisis.
The motion stated that shoreline erosion in Odi Kingdom had intensified since an earth tremor reportedly affected the community in 2025, accelerating damage to buildings and other important assets.
It warned that the erosion was steadily consuming parts of the community, putting residents’ homes, farmlands, livelihoods and public infrastructure at risk.
Lawmakers described the situation as an existential threat and called on the Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Niger Delta Development Commission and Ecological Project Office to assess the damage and begin urgent intervention.
The proposed measures include permanent shoreline protection, erosion control, land reclamation and comprehensive environmental restoration, supported by adequate funding in the national budget.
“The persistent erosion continues to consume large portions of the community on a daily basis, threatening lives, livelihoods, critical infrastructure, and the very existence of Odi Kingdom,” the motion stated.
After adopting the motion, the House directed its committees on Environment; Emergency and Disaster Preparedness; Ecological Funds; and the NDDC to inspect the affected community jointly and report back within four weeks with recommendations for legislative action.
The motion also cited the constitutional provision that the security and welfare of Nigerians must be the primary purpose of government, arguing that federal authorities must protect communities facing environmental threats.
Odi Kingdom, one of Bayelsa State’s oldest Ijaw settlements, was largely destroyed during the November 1999 military invasion before residents rebuilt their lives. Lawmakers warned that failure to address the latest crisis could trigger further displacement and worsen the environmental and economic challenges facing the community and the wider Niger Delta.