A team of Geologists from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, led by Professor Gordian Chuks-Obi, have been called to investigate the reason behind the mysterious drying of Oduga Spring Water located Umuzu Mbana, Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi North local government area Anambra State.

Oduga Spring Water Fall which is a known source of water for the people of the community, News Express gathered, suddenly stopped bringing out water and instead started emitting gaseous smoke which experts suspect could pose environmental and health hazards to the community.

According to the President General of the community, Hon. Tony Muodielo, efforts made to stop the gaseous smoke yielded no positive result.

He said the issue which had attracted the state government's presence to the site prompted Governor Obiano to send men of Fire Service, Environmental Health, the Police, as well as men from National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), for on the spot assessment of the spring.

Muodielo, while noting that the report is still being awaited, said that the drying up of the spring water, as well as the strange burning coal, was discovered by some villagers who went there to fetch water in December, adding that the smoke emission had persisted since then.

He explained that a preliminary report sent in by the team showed that the fire is an outcrop of Lignite seam which sends out a poisonous gas and an irritating sulphuric odour which will pose a very serious health and environmental hazards to the region.

The PG noted that the report further recommended a continuous excavation of the topsoil to expose the burning seam and be refilled with more environmentally friendly material.

He said: “A team from the Ministry of Health has advised the community to take a tin of milk every day but, unfortunately, some members of the community cannot afford the daily milk intake.”

Muodielo, however, called on the state government to come to their aid.

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