Ayambo Fire Incident: Community Chairman Appeals for Palliatives, Relief Materials for Victims

Sequel to the recent fire incident that rendered several of his people homeless and stranded, Chairman of Ayambo Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Godswill Jumbo has appealed to government at all levels, the business community and well-meaning individuals in the society to come to the aid of the victims.  

In an interview with Kristina Reports in Bonny, Rivers State, Jumbo narrated the distressing experience of his people and community, who he said are struggling to find their feet after experiencing a massive flooding and fire incident, consecutively.

“It is a double tragedy that the community is facing: flooding and fire outbreak with properties too numerous to quantify damaged in the course of these two incidents.” 

He lamented that first, it was the flooding resulting from the closure of four creeks due to the construction of the King Asimini Bypass, popularly known as Berger Road, and later the reopening of a drainage inside the premises of the Bonny National Grammar School (BNGS) recently.

According to him, whenever there is high tide or heavy rains, the community is drenched in flood which he said affects the means of livelihood of his people, disrupts their daily lives and causes erosion in different parts of the community.

“Prior to this time, walking through Ayambo Community, you go from Opushiri to Oshi-Owerri to Uda-Asi, and then to Ihu-Uruakpa and end up at Egeregede, that is the waterfront, where the Berger jetty is situated now.”  

“But when they were constructing the Berger Road (King Asimini Bypass), they closed four creeks and that is what is now causing flooding during heavy rains and high tide in the Community. We are still suffering the consequences of the Berger Road construction.” 

“Then there is this drainage inside BNGS which was closed over the years, but now reopened it and channeled the water into our community.”

“This is also contributing to the flood problem in the community because the water being evacuated through it pours out into the community; during a recent downpour, it caused so much flooding in the community.” 

He regretted that it was while the community was grappling with the effects of the flooding that the fire incident occurred leaving his people hapless and leaving misery in its wake.

“This fire outbreak happened while community was grappling with the effects of the flooding. It started at about 12.30pm on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 and raged on for about two and half hours.”

“We understand that the fire was ignited by a faulty BUC meter, and several persons sustained injuries; others lost properties worth millions while others were rendered homeless.” 

He stated that several phone calls were made to the emergency services of multinationals in the island but they all proved abortive, stressing that community efforts including those of the leadership, members and friends were what helped put out the fire before the arrival of an SPDC fire truck.

The distraught Community leader extolled the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom for his sympathy and empathy towards his people, thanking him for identifying with the suffering masses of Ayambo Community by directing the Bonny Chiefs Council to visit and assess the extent of damage caused by the fire.

“I want thank profusely the Amanyanabo for his kind heartedness. Imagine that while we were going through the agony and shock of the incident, our amiable King, who listens to the cry of his people, sent the Bonny Chiefs Council led by its chairman to visit and felicitate with the community on their losses.”

He appealed well-meaning members of the public, the multinationals and government at all levels to come to the aid of his people, stressing that donation of palliatives, relief materials and funds will help cushion the effect of the incident on the affected persons and families. 

“A man who has lived in the community for over 30 years lost his properties save the clothe he was wearing and his phone. He is a doctor while his wife is a nurse.”

“As a community, we have been spending heavily to give succour to the injured, displaced and homeless. But the burden is too much for the leadership hence the appeal to well-meaning members of the society to support us with palliative, relief materials and funds to cushion the effect of the incident on the affected persons and families.

“A family of four are among the victims; no food, no job, no money, no means of livelihood. Majority of the affected persons are non-indigenes who have been loyal to the community, patriotic and supportive to the peace and progress of the community.”