Senate asks FG to save Aiyetoro from sea incursion as 80% of homes lost

The Senate has asked the Federal Government to step in urgently to protect Aiyetoro, a historic coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, from the advancing Atlantic Ocean.

Lawmakers warned that continued sea incursion threatens lives, livelihoods, public buildings and the cultural heritage of the settlement. They cited reports that about 80 per cent of buildings in Aiyetoro have already been lost to the sea.

The move followed a motion by Senator Dayo Faduyile (APC, Ondo South) on the need for immediate and comprehensive shoreline protection for the community.

According to the lawmakers, the destruction has hit homes, schools, health facilities, places of worship and traditional institutions. Families have been displaced, fishing and other businesses disrupted, and residents' access to safe water and healthcare is under threat.

What the Senate wants

The chamber urged the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other agencies to work with the Ondo State Government and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) on a well-funded shoreline protection programme.

It also wants the government to look at budget provisions and international climate adaptation financing for sustainable coastal protection, land reclamation where technically possible, and rebuilding of essential community infrastructure.

On relief, the Senate asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and state authorities to provide safe water, healthcare and temporary shelter for residents whose homes and livelihoods are threatened.

Lawmakers also called for a transparent review of past and ongoing shoreline protection contracts in Aiyetoro. This covers their funding, how far they have gone, what is still owed and when they should be completed, to address reported delays. Faduyile raised concerns about delays in earlier NDDC contracts.

Senator Samson Ekong amended the motion's prayers to include affected areas in Akwa Ibom South in the federal intervention. Senate President Godswill Akpabio backed the change, saying the protection should cover vulnerable shorelines generally.

"Some of these things are above the resources of the state and that is why these issues are being brought here to the Senate," Akpabio said.

The Senate's committees on Environment, NDDC and Special Duties are to monitor progress and report back within four weeks. The Committee on Legislative Compliance will also track adherence to the resolutions.

Why it matters

Aiyetoro is one of Ondo State's best-known riverine communities, and its loss would mean more displaced families, lost fishing jobs and pressure on nearby towns. Faduyile warned that further delay could cost more lives, property and cultural heritage, with children, women and elderly residents most at risk.

For now, the Senate's resolutions are requests, not funding. Whether the sea is held back will depend on money actually released and contracts that are seen through.