By Chinazaekpere Chinwendu
Ikwuano, Abia State| September 28, 2026 —
The Executive Mayor of Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Dr. Anthony Nwaubani, has intensified efforts to secure urgent intervention for residents of Nkalunta in Ibere Ward 2 following devastating flooding that submerged homes, farmlands and access routes in the community.
Nwaubani, who undertook an emergency visit to the flood-affected community on Thursday, September 24, 2026, was accompanied by officials and stakeholders, including the Councillor representing Ibere Ward 2, Hon. Sunny U. Okoro; Chief of Staff to the Mayor, Chief Anthony Echefu; his media aide, Mr. Frank Ugboaja; and Nkalunta statesman, Chief Sunday Chigbu.
The Mayor's second visit to Nkalunta earlier today culminated in an on-the-spot assessment by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), following his earlier efforts to draw the attention of relevant authorities to the severity of the disaster.
The flooding was reportedly caused by the overflow of the Akoo River, which burst its banks and inundated the only access road linking Nkalunta to Bende before spreading into residential areas. The disaster affected virtually every family in the community, with residents reportedly losing farmlands, cocoa crops and domestic animals.
Although the flooding caused extensive damage, no loss of life was reported. Residents were, however, forced to scramble to rescue belongings and whatever valuables they could salvage from their homes as floodwaters swept through parts of the community.
Nwaubani said he received video evidence of the flooding while attending a conference in Abuja on Tuesday, September 23, and immediately began contacting relevant authorities in Ikwuano and Abia State to draw attention to the emergency.
Explaining his decision to return from Abuja and personally visit the community, the Mayor said the plight of the residents could not be adequately appreciated without physically navigating the difficult terrain leading to Nkalunta.
“When you pass through this road and get here, you will feel the pain of the people living here. There is no way you get here that you will not feel bad. That is why I said our people cannot continue to suffer this way. I have written to the Governor, and we have put forward road construction, the dredging of the river and whatever palliative can come from the emergency authorities.”
Dr Nwaubani further assured the residents that the intervention being pursued would not be selective, stressing that his administration was committed to ensuring that the concerns of the entire affected community were properly presented to the relevant authorities.
“They are not coming to pick these families and say, ‘We saw the picture of your house submerged, we are paying you this.’ That is not how they operate. What they do is to address the matter. So go home, relax and believe that something positive must happen. If there is anything they are going to do, they are going to do it for all,” he stated.
The Mayor expressed appreciation to the emergency-management officials for responding promptly to the situation and travelling to the difficult-to-access community to see the extent of the damage firsthand. He described the journey into Nkalunta as extremely challenging, noting that reaching the community was itself an arduous undertaking.
Officials of NEMA and SEMA led by Engr. Nwaeze subsequently conducted an assessment of the affected areas, inspecting the extent of the flooding and listening to concerns from residents and community stakeholders. The assessment is expected to form the basis of a report to the appropriate authorities for consideration of possible intervention.
Speaking during the assessment, Nwaeze said the agency's exercise was intended to cover the entire affected community rather than focus on isolated buildings, stressing that the disaster had affected residents broadly.
The NEMA official cautioned against selective claims, explaining that the flood affected the community and that the agency's report would therefore encompass the overall situation. He also conveyed the commiseration of the NEMA Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, over the natural disaster and expressed optimism that the necessary assistance would follow after the assessment report reaches Abuja.
Engr. Nwaeze also identified the blockage of water channels and poor waste-management practices as factors capable of aggravating flooding, urging communities to take environmental sanitation and drainage management seriously.
During the engagement, community stakeholders and residents commended Mayor Nwaubani for personally visiting the area and mobilising emergency agencies to assess the situation. They also expressed appreciation to the Abia State Government and Governor Alex Chioma Otti for the administration's attention to issues affecting communities across the state.
The assessment identified several factors contributing to the vulnerability of Nkalunta to flooding. Stakeholders noted that the Akoo River annually overflows its banks, but described the scale of this year's flooding as unprecedented. The community's low-lying terrain was also identified as a significant factor.
The poor condition of the road from Bende to Nkalunta, which runs parallel to the Akoo River and contains culverts along its route, was another major concern. Stakeholders observed that the deteriorated road lacks adequate resistance to the force of floodwater, thereby worsening the community's access and vulnerability during periods of heavy rainfall.
Deforestation along the riverbank was also highlighted as an environmental concern. According to the findings, the rubber plantation that previously existed along the bank has disappeared as a result of deforestation, potentially weakening the natural protection around the river corridor.
As part of the long-term solutions proposed, stakeholders called for the dredging of the Akoo River to improve its capacity to accommodate increased water flow. They also advocated the construction of the Ukpom, Bende-Nkalunta Road through to Itunta, alongside coordinated tree planting along the riverbank to strengthen environmental protection and mitigate future flooding.
Mayor Nwaubani said he would continue to escalate the matter and follow up with relevant authorities at the state level, maintaining that the ultimate objective was not merely to provide temporary relief but to address the structural and environmental factors responsible for the recurring flooding.
The visit has consequently raised expectations among residents of Nkalunta that the emergency assessment will translate into tangible relief and sustainable infrastructure intervention, particularly through improved road access, river management and environmental restoration along the Akoo River corridor.