Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has sealed the building at No 10 Powerline off Omuma Road, Aba, following a reported case of two men who died while manually evacuating an underground sewage tank.
The victims, identified as Obicubana and Thomas Iku, both residents of the area, arrived at the site at about 8:30 a.m. to begin work.
Eyewitnesses said the pit did not collapse, leaving residents baffled as to how both men ended up inside.
Residents alleged that two other people died in the same pit years ago. Police have deposited the bodies at the morgue.
The incident which occurred yesterday drew the attention of the Deputy General Manager of ASEPA, Aba Zone – Elder Okezie Ezengwa, who led a team to the scene of the incident and got it sealed.
Elder Ezengwa who expressed worry over the continuous engagement of people to evacuate underground sewage and waste where adequate safety equipment, ventilation and professional procedures may not be in place revealed efforts of the Agency towards improving Environmental Sanitation under the present administration of Governor Alex Otti.
The agency has also continued to draw public attention to indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drainage channels, illegal dumping and other practices capable of creating environmental and public-health hazards.
One of the visible aspects of the administration’s environmental agenda has been the increased emphasis on keeping major roads, markets and public spaces cleaner, while strengthening enforcement against activities considered harmful to the environment.
ASEPA’s interventions have also included the clearing of refuse and environmental obstructions, enforcement of sanitation regulations and sensitisation of residents on the importance of proper waste disposal.
The agency’s sanitation drive has, however, also highlighted the need for residents, landlords, businesses and property owners to comply with environmental regulations and avoid practices that could endanger lives.
DrumAfricanews gathered that incident which occurred around midnight, leading to 11th August 2026, when the two men were engaged in the evacuation of the underground sewage tank.
