By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has alleged that a cartel of private persons, allegedly working with some government appointees, has been behind large-scale sand excavation activities in Umudimisii-Umuoru, Uga, Anambra State, while claiming that the operation left no trace of official government revenue or required environmental documentation.

In a statement signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Lead-Director, Intersociety Nigeria; Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam, Head, Department of Campaign and Publicity; and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Head, Department of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, the organisation also alleged that community leaders were summoned three times by a DSS unit in Anambra and subsequently compelled to sign an undertaking to reopen the excavation site.

Intersociety said its findings indicated that the excavation activities had operated for years without evidence of proceeds being recorded in the Anambra State Government’s internally generated revenue records.

“Further findings showed that the sand excavation activities started years gone by as a cartel by some private persons working in collusion with some government appointees in Anambra State Government or elsewhere have no traces of official inventories of the proceeds belonging to present or past Governments of Anambra State,” the organisation alleged.

It further claimed that its checks found no evidence of Environmental Impact Assessments or Community Development Agreements connected to what it described as industrial-scale sand excavation activities.

“Checked and found, too, was the fact that there are no traces of ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ and ‘Community Development Agreements’ (CDAs) in the ‘industrial scale’ sand’excavation activities; thereby making the activities unlawful and illegal, in addition to present catastrophic environmental dangers enveloping the affected area and its people,” Intersociety stated.

The organisation said community resistance to the excavation eventually led the Umudimisii Quarter to resolve that further excavation should cease, with the decision communicated to traditional and community leaders.

However, Intersociety alleged that the elected leaders of the Umudimisii Development Union were subsequently summoned three times by a DSS unit under the Anambra State Directorate of the Service at Amawbia.

It alleged that the union's chairman, Nze Ibeabuchi Umeugochukwu, explained the environmental and safety concerns affecting the community but was subsequently compelled by DSS operatives to sign an undertaking to reopen the site.

“Surprisingly, Sir, the elected leaders of UMUDIMISII DEVELOPMENT UNION of Umudimisii Quarter through their chairman, Nze Ibeabuchi Umeugochukwu had been summoned trice over the issue by a DSS Unit under Anambra State Directorate of the Service at Amawbia; and after explaining the terrible and life-threatening situations facing members of the affected area and their ancestral homes, his leadership was reported to have been compelled by the DSS operatives to sign an undertaking to re-opening the site for continuation of the dangerous sand excavation activities,” the organisation alleged.

Intersociety said the alleged intervention by the security operatives had raised questions among members of the affected community, who it said were yet to understand the reason for the reported directive.

The organisation also raised concerns about the activities of heavy-duty truck operators evacuating sand and stones from the site, saying their movement was damaging roads and threatening recently completed infrastructure.

According to Intersociety, the Nkwo-Obizi Road and St. James-Ugwunwocha-Obizi Roads were being subjected to heavy use by the trucks, while community roads had already suffered serious damage.

“Another dangerous dimension to the environmentally disastrous sand excavation activities at Umudimisii is a serious threat to the existing road network in the area caused by heavy duty truck drivers and their trucks evacuating sands and stones at the site; thereby endangering the Nkwo-Obizi Road and St. James-Ugwunwocha-Obizi Roads recently completed by Prof Charles Soludo-led Government of Anambra State,” it said.

The organisation alleged that some individuals and a company, including Nze Ndubuisi Egbogu, described as Managing Director of Blessed Egbogu Motors Ltd, and Blessed Egbogu Motors Ltd, identified as the mining company, had been accused by members of the Umudimisii Development Union of being directly responsible for the excavation activities.

Intersociety did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate the allegations against the named individuals or company.

The organisation called for an on-the-spot assessment of the site and a thorough investigation into the entire excavation operation, including alleged involvement by government agents, private individuals and their firms or cartels.

“Carry out thorough investigations into the entire activities including those remotely and openly including Government agents (if any), private individuals and their cartels or firms and prosecute those found culpable, for engaging in such unlawful activities outside the ‘Community Development Agreements’ and the ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’,” Intersociety demanded.

It also urged authorities to uphold the community’s resolution to shut down the excavation site and prevent the dispute from degenerating into youth militancy, banditry or clan warlordism.

The organisation called on the Anambra State Government, police, DSS, traditional authorities and other relevant stakeholders to act on the reported environmental and security concerns surrounding the site.