Residents of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Estate, popularly known as ACO Estate, protested on Saturday against the incessant and unregulated blasting operations at a Chinese quarry site.
Over 100 residents, including commercial motorcyclists operating in the estate, led by the Estate Chairman, Sunny Kulutuye, and other executives, staged the protest at the junction leading to the quarry site operated by the Chinese company, Dai Jin Investment Limited.
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The protesters, who gathered at about 6.30 a.m., blocked all access routes to the site to express their grievances regarding the blasting operations.
They also used six vehicles to barricade the routes and stopped the heavy-duty trucks from moving to load granite.
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They said the blasting activities have affected and damaged some of the houses in the estate.
The protesters further protested the recklessness of the truck drivers, who they said have negatively impacted the estate’s road and residents’ lives. No fewer than 20 heavy-duty trucks were stopped from moving during the protest.
The protesters said that despite several meetings and assurances, the company has refused to stop its activities or reduce the capacity of the explosive device being used to carry out their blasting; hence, they decided to demonstrate.
Addressing journalists about their grievances, Mr Kulutuye said the blasting operations have lingered for many years, disrupting the residents’ well-being and destroying their properties.
“Over many years now, we have been having issues with the blasting company that is blasting here, and consistently we have been talking to them and they keep telling us they will stop, they will change their methodology and all that. But we have seen that that is not happening, because three days ago the worst happened.
“We have evidence of our houses collapsing – the roof, the POP. We are even afraid now that if there is going to be an integrity test on buildings around this place, I am very sure none of the buildings can survive the test. It has affected over 1,000 buildings here.
“Because of the patronage of the truck drivers, our roads are being damaged. They hit and damaged our vehicles on the road, and recently, they killed an Okada person (commercial motorcyclist) on the road.
“These are the reasons we came out today to demonstrate. As you can see, we didn’t carry stones, placards, or anything; we just came quietly to register our grievances to let them know that our houses are being pulled down,” the chairman said.
Legal action
Mr Kulutuye said that last year, following their frustration, the estate residents took the matter to court, but the case lingered and seemed compromised.
“We have submitted reports to the police station and also AMAC. We have also taken this quarry to court, but because they have more money than we do, the case is not going anywhere, and that is why we were moved to employ this reaction,” the chairman said.
Halt to the quarry operations
Mr Kulutuye said that because of the recalcitrant behaviour of the company officials, the residents have resolved that it should stop operating.
The residents are also demanding that the quarry be moved from the residential area and that compensation be paid for their damaged houses.
“They need to stop, they should move away from here, they should compensate every house damaged by their blasting. If they don’t stop, this is just the beginning. We are not stopping this movement of blocking the road and demonstrating our pain, and that is why we are here to see the Chinese people, but it is like they don’t want to see us,” he said.
Disappointed with government
Also speaking, Jacob Edi, a resident of the estate, expressed disappointment with the Nigerian Government for allowing the Chinese to engage in activities that jeopardise its citizens’ well-being and properties.
“It is so wrong that Chinese would come to our country and engage in this kind of activities that damage our homes and other properties, when no one would dare to do the same in their country. They cannot do this in their country, but come here to do it.” Mr Edi told PREMIUM TIMES.
Another resident, Uchenna Okafor, who claimed to have purchased his house on mortgage, said the proximity of the construction site has caused severe damage to his building and those of others.
This damage, he said, includes falling windows, roofs, and POP.
“After the house rent in Abuja became unbearable, we had mortgage opportunities, and since we could not afford to pay those rents, we decided to come to this area, but now imagine!” he lamented.
Mr Okafor narrated that during a recent blast, one of his neighbours had to hold onto the building wall while bathing to prevent falling due to the intense vibrations.
“Three days ago, my mother called me to say the house was shaking. I knew the issue was the blasting. I thought it was normal blasting, which would shake the windows and others. But this was different. One of my neighbours held on to the walls while bathing, so he would not fall,” he stated.
Regulations and violation
The National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations, 2013, in Nigeria, specifically states in Section 22(1) that blasting should not cause discomfort or nuisance to the public or residents within 1,000 meters (1 km) from the epicentre of the site or road users.
It further stipulates that all new quarries are required to also conduct and submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before starting operation, undergo environmental audits every three years, blasting must be at least 3 km away from any residential, commercial or industrial area, control method and monitoring systems, use explosive limit of max 35kg/charge, 3 tons per blast and effective community warning like sirens or 48 hours notice before blast.
The regulations also aim to prevent and minimise air and noise pollution, with specific limits for ground vibration and air blast at sensitive sites.
However, this company appears to have violated these regulations and refused to yield to the residents’ request to minimise the impact of the explosion or vibration.
Some of the protesters also alleged that the soldiers who are meant to safeguard the explosive device have been dissuaded or manipulated by the Chinese company from their primary assignment of guarding the explosives from getting into the wrong hands, and now protect the Chinese at their homes.
READ ALSO: Ondo cocoa farmers protest alleged sale of farmland to Chinese company
Company official speaks
After about two hours of the demonstration, Mr Haruna, the chairman of the workers on the site, approached the protesters, listened to their demands, and promised them feedback.
He claimed that the Chinese nationals operating the quarry site could not attend to the protesters because of language barrier.
“We have listened to you and we promise to amend. All your demands will be communicated to them, and we assure you won’t have any reason to do this again,” Mr Haruna said.
Ali Adeka, chairman of the truck drivers, also promised that the drivers would drive professionally and cease operating after working hours. He also promised that they would start using plate numbers.
“We promise you that all drivers who violate the rules will be dealt with accordingly. Henceforth, you will see that they will drive carefully, and the issue of the plate number, and we will tell them to start using it. We are so sorry,” Mr Adeka said.
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