By John Moses
A powerful windstorm has wreaked havoc on Njegbeje Village in Igodor Community, Cross River State, displacing scores of residents and destroying over 50 houses in its wake.
The disaster, which struck late on Sunday night and was followed by torrential rainfall, also devastated farmlands, economic trees, and personal property — with initial estimates placing losses in the billions of naira.
Speaking during an inspection visit on Wednesday, the Chairman of Ogoja Local Government Area, Chief Christopher Agbeh, described the event as a “monumental and natural disaster.”
“This tragedy is on a scale rarely seen in the region,” Agbeh said. “It has left families in ruins, swept away their livelihoods, and severely impacted food security. We are calling on both the state and Federal Government to act immediately to support the victims.”
Agbeh likened the storm’s force to a “mini-tsunami”, noting that relief efforts must be urgently mobilised to provide food, shelter, and healthcare.
Local leader Chief Matthew Egbor, the Village Head of Njegbeje, said the community had never witnessed such destruction. “It caught us completely unprepared,” he said. “People are now sleeping in the open. We have lost our farms and trees — starvation is fast approaching.”
He called for urgent intervention from government agencies and humanitarian organisations, warning that the community faced a worsening humanitarian crisis if help did not arrive swiftly.
