Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Efut Efio‑Ene community in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State have made an urgent appeal to the federal and state governments for immediate intervention, as devastating floods linked to an open water drainage channel have destroyed homes, contaminated drinking water, and reportedly led to the discovery of corpses in the community after heavy rainfall.
In an interview with journalists on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, the Clan Head of Efut Efio‑Ene, His Royal Highness Muri Ekong Umo Ekpo II, said the community was being inundated by storm water directed from various drains across the Calabar metropolis, a problem he traced back to the administration of Governor Donald Duke, when the drainage system was last cleared. “We are facing a lot of problems in this community because of flooding. This is because the whole water channelled throughout the whole Calabar and environs come directly to our area and the government has never done anything about it,” the traditional ruler said. “And this flood now destroys houses, properties and contaminates our drinking water and increases health risks.”
The community leaders warned that heavy rainfall in the coming weeks could trigger a catastrophic disaster. Princewill Lawrence, the community’s youth leader, told reporters: “Residents now live in constant fear. Heavy rainfall in the coming weeks may result in catastrophic flooding, collapse of weak structures, destruction of livelihoods, and possible loss of lives.” The Women Leader of the community, Obongawan Nanke Bassey, said the volume of water that flows through the area during rainfall often destroys homes and sweeps away personal belongings. “The flood has taken my farms, my pigs, my chickens and even important documents, including certificates. Many people have abandoned their houses because they can no longer cope with the flooding,” she disclosed.
Mrs Bassey recalled a previous flood incident in which a building was overwhelmed by floodwaters, reportedly killing three children and an adult. She also lamented that all water sources in the community had become polluted, forcing residents to rely on sachet and bottled water. “We cannot drink water from our wells anymore. We have cases of malaria, typhoid and other diseases because of stagnant water,” she said.
The Director‑General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR‑SEMA), Antigha Gill, acknowledged that his agency had received multiple appeals from the community and had written to the state government, which mandated the Ministry of Environment to take action. “We know that the rainy season is here; two weeks ago, the community sent me a reminder of the serious flooding there. We will collaborate with the Ministry of Environment and the Calabar Urban Development Authority for action,” Gill said.
Efut Efio‑Ene is not alone. The community is one of many in Calabar South that have become perennial flood‑traps as urban drainage networks funnel storm water toward low‑lying areas. In April 2026, Governor Bassey Otu approved the emergency desilting of four kilometres of drainage channels across the capital and called for federal intervention, noting that Cross River was at high risk of severe flooding. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had earlier warned that the South‑South region remains one of the areas most vulnerable to flooding due to its coastal location and projected heavy rainfall between June and October 2026. Indeed, nine local government areas in the state, including Calabar South, had been identified as high‑risk flood zones.
As the rainy season approaches its peak, the people of Efut Efio‑Ene say they are running out of time. Their clan head summed up the despair: “This is because the whole water channelled throughout the whole Calabar and environs come directly to our area and the government have never done anything about it.” With no desilting or flood‑control work in sight, the community fears that the next heavy downpour could bring not just more damage, but more corpses.
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