Residents Forced To Drink Muddy Water As Scarcity Worsens In Benue Community

The water crisis in Otukpo, Benue State, has reached a critical level, forcing residents to rely on muddy pools and unsafe water sources.

As the dry season worsens, wells and streams have dried up, leaving thousands without access to clean drinking water.

For decades, Otukpo, the heart of Idoma land in Benue State, has struggled with a persistent water crisis.

Once a thriving town with reliable access to clean water, it has now deteriorated into a place where survival depends on luck, improvisation, and sheer resilience.

The situation worsens during the dry season, escalating an already dire problem into a full-blown humanitarian crisis.

At the center of this crisis is the long-abandoned Otobi Water Works, a facility that once served as Otukpo’s lifeline but has remained non-functional for years.

As a result, both urban and rural residents are left with no choice but to drink from muddy ponds, shallow wells, and contaminated streams. The consequences have been devastating.

Cases of cholera, typhoid, and river blindness have surged as residents are forced to consume water from unsafe sources. Women and children, in particular, bear the heaviest burden.

Every morning, before sunrise, they embark on long treks from Otukpo town to neighboring Ohimini LGA in search of water, often competing with animals for access to stagnant pools.

Several factors have contributed to Otukpo’s ongoing water crisis.

One of the biggest challenges unique to the area is its soil texture, which makes drilling boreholes nearly impossible. Unlike other regions where underground water can be accessed, Otukpo’s rocky terrain prevents water from accumulating beneath the surface.

However, the most glaring issue is the collapse of water infrastructure. The Otobi Water Works, once designed to supply potable water to the town, has suffered years of neglect due to government inaction, lack of maintenance, and mismanagement of funds.

Additionally, climate change and deforestation have worsened the situation.

Reduced rainfall and increasing environmental degradation have led to the drying up of natural water sources. Many rivers that once sustained the community have now shrunk to mere trickles during the dry season.

One of the worst-hit areas is the Asa community, where residents now depend on the muddy remnants of the Ukplo River for survival.

Faced with these harsh realities, some residents have taken matters into their own hands. One such effort is the drilling of the Ukplo River, a desperate attempt by citizens to secure an alternative water source.

Honourable Angbo Kennedy, the lawmaker representing Otukpo Akpa at the Benue State House of Assembly, recently made a generous donation toward the project—a gesture that has been met with deep appreciation by the Asa Community.

Renowned philanthropist Mohammed Odeh Adah, known as Ochacho, has been providing water to residents through his private initiatives.

His intervention has given many families access to clean drinking water, but the demand continues to far exceed the supply.

“Every time Ochacho’s water trucks come, there’s a rush and sometimes, not everyone gets enough,” said Emmanuel Obotu, a resident from Otukpo Township.

“We appreciate his effort, but this is a town of thousands, and one person’s kindness cannot solve an age-long crisis,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Benue State government has acknowledged the crisis and recently announced plans to rehabilitate the Otobi Water Works.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Hon. Ugwu Ameh Odoh, pledged to restore the facility and enhance water supply in the region.

He said, “The council also directed the Ministry of Water Resources, Environment, and Climate Change to invite CGC to commence the rehabilitation of the facility and restore water supply in Otobi, Otukpo and their environs.”