The state government has been requested to solve the problem of trees falling during rainy seasons by the residents of Atimbo in Calabar, Cross River.
They claimed that their property, particularly the homes and vehicles beneath the old trees, had been destroyed by the trees’ collapse.
According to the Nigerian News Agency, one such incident resulted in the destruction of a Nissan Xterra Jeep.
One of the passengers, a lecturer at the University of Calabar, was killed in 2024 when a tree fell on a minibus traveling along the Muritala Muhammad Highway.
A resident’s automobile was destroyed during Monday night’s rainstorm, according to eyewitness Mr. Samuel Ekpenyong, who spoke to NAN on Tuesday.
A massive tree in front of the building crashed on the car and caused significant damage while she was still yelling for the gate to be opened for her.
Ekpeyong stated, “This is one too many damages in Calabar, even though the woman was not hurt because she was not in the car when the tree fell.”
Another local resident, Miss Ikaete Livinus, stated that several of the trees in Calabar City have been complained about for being too big and too ancient.
“A similar heavy rainstorm in late 2024 pulled down innumerable old trees in Calabar, leaving the city without power for days.“These trees did not just fall, they destroyed power installations like wires, poles, private properties like shops and buildings. “It even rendered it almost difficult to enter the Muritala Muhammed Highway because of the number of enormous untrimmed trees that fell that night.
“The state government needs to be proactive and start assessing these trees early before the rainy season,” she said.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Moses Osogi, sympathised with those that have lost properties from the fallen trees.
He urged people in the city to park far away from trees whenever there is a storm.
Osogi said the state government was taking measures to ensure that old trees in the city are cut down to prevent more catastrophe.
“We have a unit in the Ministry of Environment whose responsibility is to identify and cut down old trees, if you go around the city you will see what we are doing, we are really trying our best, it is a gradual process.
“We advise people who may have identified old trees that looks like it may fall to come to the ministry.
”The unit responsible will certify that the tree is actually old and go ahead to cut it down or prune it,” he said.
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