Residents of 13 communities in the Nsulu region of Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, Abia State, have raised strong objections to the proposed siting of Abia Airport in their villages, warning that the project, if allowed to proceed, will displace thousands of people, destroy their livelihoods, and disrupt their ancestral lands.
The protesting communities argue that the construction of the airport in such a densely populated area poses serious environmental and socio-cultural risks, including the demolition of homes, shrines, churches, and graves.
The communities involved in the protest are Ikputu, Umuikeocha Umuode, Umuzeukwu, Umuogu, Uwaoma/Ikoo Umuosu, Umuata Umuosu, Umule Umuosu, Okpulorukwu Umuosu, Umuodeche, Ubaha, Umuala, Umuezenta Nbawsi, Mbubo, and Umuomainta Nbawsi. These communities claim that much of the land being earmarked for the airport project was acquired in the past, including land in other regions like Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South, which was initially intended for an airport but was abandoned by previous administrations.
The residents’ major grievance is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or lack thereof associated with the airport project. They argue that a major infrastructure project like an airport cannot be sited in such a heavily populated area without conducting an adequate EIA. The proposed airport location is allegedly less than 2 kilometers away from their farmland, which serves as the primary source of livelihood for the communities. Additionally, the lands are said to contain ancestral homes, shrines, and graveyards, making the proposed project an existential threat to the communities’ cultural heritage.
According to the petition filed by the communities’ counsel, Sylvester Okonkwo, the residents are not fundamentally opposed to the idea of an airport in Abia State. However, they have questioned the rationale behind choosing a highly populated area when alternative land in Owerrinta, which was acquired for the same purpose by the Imo State Government in the past, remains available for use. The Owerrinta land was originally earmarked for an airport during the tenure of Governor Sam Mbakwe but was eventually abandoned when the airport was relocated to Ngor Okpala, near Owerri, in Imo State.
Okonkwo emphasized that the land in Owerrinta remains largely uninhabited and would be more suitable for the airport project. He argued that using this land would mitigate the significant social and environmental risks associated with building an airport in Nsulu, where the population density and existing human activity make it a controversial site.
The communities have formally petitioned several authorities, including the Minister of Aviation, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Security Adviser (NSA). In the petition, they expressed their concerns about the lack of consultation with local residents and the potential health and safety hazards posed by constructing an airport in such a close-knit, densely populated area.
The petition also noted that previous administrations, including that of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, had already acquired land for the airport project at Umuode Nsulu, Ikputu Nsulu, Umuodeche Nsulu, Umuogu, and Umuezeukwu Nsulu. The residents argued that this land, which was largely uninhabited and had already received Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) from the state government, would be a more suitable location for the airport. Okonkwo pointed out that the previous administration had obtained approval from the Ministry of Aviation for the construction of an Abia airstrip on the same land, which has since been left undeveloped.
The petitioners also expressed concern over the failure of the state government and the Ministry of Aviation to address their objections to the new site, which they believe disregards their constitutional rights and the integrity of their communities.
While the residents acknowledge the potential economic benefits of an airport for the state, they have called for the Abia Airport to be relocated to the land previously acquired for this purpose. They argue that the alternative land would allow for the development of the airport without the risk of displacing families, destroying cultural landmarks, or creating a long-term negative impact on the environment and local health.
“The communities are not against the airport, but we are against the siting of the project in a densely populated area,” the petition reads. “We believe that our forefathers’ graves, our homes, and our farmlands should not be sacrificed for the sake of an airport that can be built in a more suitable location.”
The residents also warned that if their concerns are ignored, it could lead to widespread protests and legal actions, as the project threatens to erase the cultural and economic foundations of the communities in Nsulu.
