Residents of Obukpa Community in university town of Nsukka in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, have raised the alarm over what they described as impending epidemic.

The residents, who spoke on Friday, hinged their fears on a leaking sewage at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Indigenes of the community, Mr Chisom Ugwu and Chief Christian Odume told newsmen that a burst sewage had spread its content right into the community, causing discomfort and threatening the health of the people of the area.

Recall the the community had dragged the university to court over ecological concerns, bordering on alleged environmental degradation due to ongoing construction of multimillion hostels that allegedly re-channeled flood water into Obukpa community.

The case is before an Enugu State High Court in suit No: N/86/2020, which was filed by Hon Nnaemeka Aleke on behalf of the community, seeking to restrain the university and Viagem Property and Investment Limited from further development of the 11,900-room hostel over the alleged environment degradation in Obukpa Community.

The university’s host community, through its counsel, claimed that construction of the hostel by UNN created erosion that destroyed lands, roads, houses and other properties of Ajuona Obukpa people. It added that it also became a source of mosquito infestation that made malaria a common illness in the community.

“The plaintiff claims that the roads leading into and out of Ajuona Obukpa Community are devastated. They claimed that they have suffered unquantifiable damage to their properties generally and that the environment was gradually becoming uninhabitable due to construction activities of the first defendant, which is becoming worse”, the counsel said.

The community also sought an order of the court directing the first and second defendants to stop the building of the hostel until they control the erosion devastating lives and properties in Ajuona Obukpa Autonomous Community.

Also sought is an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, particularly the second defendant, from the construction of the hostel in the premises of the first defendant or any other construction work in the university pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The parties have all presented their cases, with the matter now adjourned for written address of counsels.

It was equally learnt that a few days ago, the judge handling the case, other officials and representatives of both parties in the suit, were at the location to have an on the spot assessment of the claims.

However, indigenes of Obukpa community told newsmen that the situation had worsened with the burst sewage, which they said was pushing its contents into their community.

“The entire community is in a mess; faeces has been released into our community from that burst sewage.

“It is so bad and we are urging urgent action before it throws our community into avoidable health hazards.

“If you come to our community now, you will find it difficult to breathe,” Ugwu and Odume told the media.