The Okun-Alfa community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State has appealed to the federal and state governments to rescue it from going into extinction over  lingering ocean surge threatening to submerge it.

Yusuf Elegushi, the Baale of Okun-Alfa community, made the appeal at a news conference on Saturday.

He said the surge has claimed over 80 per cent of its land,  rendering many residents homeless.

“This community has been in existence for over 500 years. Our forefathers’ burial ground is here and  we are not illegal immigrants.

“We have been calling governments’ attention to the situation as our land is gradually being submerged.”

According to him, some days ago, the community received a notice from government that it  should evacuate the land which is very strange to them  because there are elders over 80 years old in the ancestral land.

“We are only seeking the federal government’s help not evacuation, because we don’t know where to go,  our forefathers were indigenes of the community.

“We only need help to reclaim our land from  the surge not evacuation,”the community leader said.

Adekunle Elegushi, chairman, Community Development Association (CDA) Okun-Alfa Community also appealed to the federal government to halt the 24 hours ultimatum given to residents to vacate the land.

Mr Elegushi said that former governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state had tried to stop the surge in 2019 but the project was not totally completed.

“The project stopped. No continuity, that’s why other lands have been washed away by the ocean.

“Our maternity centre, schools and recreation centres are  submerged,  majority of houses have been swallowed by the ocean which rendered majority of people homeless.

“What we need now is the federal and state government intervention, we are appealing to them to rescue us and help us to resolve our challenges in the community.”

Sidikatu Liasu-Banuso, an Octogenarian resident of the community also appealed to the federal government to halt demolition plans  and rescue the community.

“We don’t want government to drive us away from here,  what we want is help to fix the surge and we are appealing. There is no where to go now,  this is my ancestral land and home,  am over 80 years of age.”

Taofeek Ibraheem, also a resident, urged the government to consider the situation and stop the demolition plan as the community would go into extinction.

We are pleading with the federal government to assist us in fixing our challenges and not to drive us away from our ancestral land.

“We appeal to the government to rescue the community before it is too late as many residents live in plank homes due to challenges of the surge.

“Many people staying here live in emergency homes, because all their buildings have been submerged by the surge.”

(NAN)