Farmers Cry as Ebonyi Crops Vanish Beneath Floodwaters

In the wake of relentless downpours, the quiet agrarian communities of Onuebonyi, Izzi, and Ikwo have been transformed into disaster zones—farmlands drowned, homes washed away, and hundreds of residents left with nothing but despair and muddy waters.

The flood, which came like a thief in the night, has left behind a trail of destruction, deepening fears of an unfolding humanitarian crisis in these local government areas. Despite early flood warnings by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the devastation has spread beyond the predicted zones of Ezillo, Echara, Abakaliki, and Afikpo—striking communities least prepared for the catastrophe.

In Amagu Ikwo and Onuebonyi, hectares of cultivated land now lie underwater. What was once hope for a bountiful harvest has turned into floating ruins. Crops gone. Homes shattered. Lives upended.

“We’ve lost everything,” said Helen Oguji, her voice cracking as she pointed to where her yam barn once stood. “How do we survive when we can’t harvest our food?”

Beside her, 58-year-old Samuel Iroko waded through ankle-deep floodwater to salvage a few belongings. “Every year, this happens. We plead, we protest, and still nothing changes. When will the government hear us?”

Feliz Ezaka and Ezinne Nwafor, both subsistence farmers, say the flood has not only destroyed their farmland but also left them homeless. “We’re living with neighbours now. But how long can that last?” Ezaka asked.

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Environment, Victor Chukwu, acknowledged the scale of destruction, attributing much of the problem to delays in completing the NewMap waterway mitigation projects in Onuebonyi. “The government is aware, and we are working to ensure these projects are concluded soon to ease flooding in the area,” he said.

But for the displaced families, promises are not enough. As rains continue and waters rise, the window for relief is rapidly closing. Community leaders and affected residents are calling for urgent intervention—not just temporary relief, but a long-term strategy to tame the floods that return each year with deadlier force.

With the state’s agricultural lifeline now underwater, and hunger looming, Ebonyi teeters on the brink of a full-scale humanitarian emergency.

Unless swift action is taken, the next wave won’t just carry away farms and homes,it could drown hope entirely.