Abia Airport: Conduct EIA First, NSF Tells FG, Says Proposed Airport in Densely Populated Communities

Nsulu Stakeholders Forum (NSF) has called on the federal government to first conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before going ahead with the proposed Abia Airport in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

NSF in a statement, yesterday, said while it was not opposed to the airport, siting same in densely populated communities in Nsulu, would be harmful to the lives of members of the communities and those yet unborn.

It also expressed its support for a petition by the Nsulu communities through their counsel, Mr. Sylvester Okonkwo, to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and National Security Adviser, NSA, over what they described as land grabbing by the Abia State government.

The affected Nsulu communities are Ikputu, Umuikeocha Umuode, Umuezeukwu, Umuogu, Uwaoma/Ikoo Umuosu, Umuata Umuosu, Umule Umuosu, Okpulorukwu Umuosu, Umuodeche, Ubaha, Umuala, Umuezenta Nbawsi, Mbubo and Umuomainta Nbawsi.

The communities are the owners of the hectares of land sought to be taken over by the state government for the proposed ‘Abia Airport Project.’

NSF in a statement said: “We want to put it on record that while we are not against President Bola Tinubu government siting another airport in Igbo land, we must caution that it must not be at the expense of the lives of Nsulu people.

“From the area being proposed for the airport, we can confirm that it is in between many densely populated communities. The airport will be some meters away from villagers homes and we believe that for a project of such magnitude, a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must first be conducted to know the impact on the lives of the people in the communities.

“Also, we see the siting of the proposed airport project in Nsulu as a ploy by people who feel Nsulu people have no body to fight for them, to grab their land.

“We know that a land was secured under former governor Theodore Orji for the project, but current Governor Alex Otti said the place has been built up.

“We also know that another place was secured for the airport project under immediate former governor Okezie Ikpazu, in 2015 and 2022. The large expanse of land spanning to Umuode Nsulu, Ikputu Nsulu, Umuodeche Nsulu, Umuogu and Umuezeukwu Nsulu, etcetera in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, but instead of Governor Otti consolidating on the place, he opted to look for another place altogether, and sadly, based on wrong advice is considering Nsulu which is densely populated.

“This is the first time in the history of airport project in Nigeria that an airport is being proposed for a densely populated area, where the communities would be meters away from the airport.

“We are appealing to President Tinubu though the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Mr. Festus Kayemo, SAN, to urgently order an Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, before any consideration of the Nsulu site.

“We also know that the President Tinubu government is investing hugely in agriculture and to guarantee food sufficiency, we believe that denying Nsulu people arable land to farm to feed themselves and their family will not be in tandem with the federal government agriculture policy.

“An airport should be sited in a location that has enough space and no in densely populated area. We appreciate our communities being considered for a federal project, it must, however, not be one that will leave the people without a place to live and farm.

“We call on Governor Otti to go back to the place secured by former governor Ikpeazu and not displace Nsulu people from their homes and farms.”