On Friday 3rd of February 2023, on my way to Tai local Government Area for a news coverage,I was caught up in an offensive odour along the East West road close to Onne junction in Eleme local Government Area.
Despite attempts by passengers in our 18 seater bus to cover their nose , the odour kept coming.
Nudged by my journalistic instinct, I began asking questions.The inquiry made me to understand that the odour was coming from a decomposed body .
The dead body, according to investigation was that of a young man who died three weeks ago.
Nobody however could tell what killed him,or the identity of the deceased.
Meanwhile, going by the level of the offensive odour, and except the Eleme local Government Council and other relevant Authorities act fast, communities around the Onne axis of the East West road may experience an epidemic.
Some stakeholders have raised concern over the imminent outbreak of an epidemic around the trailer park junction of Onne.
An eye withness, who spoke with The Tide at the trailer park junction Onne,Eleme local Government Area, said the dead man has been lying there close to three weeks now.
She said nobody seems to care about the situation, stressing that even the Authorities seemed not to care.
“That body has been there for over three weeks now.
“They should come and remove it before it blows up”
Another respondent, who gave his name as Aikiru said it was very bad.
He said government should come to the area and remove the dead body before it gets worse.
“You can’t stay here especially in the night. Only God is helping us, ‘he said.
Sikiru further told the Tide that it was not the first time such incident happened, adding that many at times it was people from the area that bury them
“Sometimes mad people died here and nobody will remove their bodies.
Sometimes it those of us here that will organize ourselves to bury them”
One of the occupants of our vehicle,a middle aged woman from Ogoni urged Eleme local Government Council to do something about the situation.
The woman who spoke under anonymity said the situation might cause accident as vehicles might  increased their speeds  on getting to the spot not minding who is coming behind.
“The Authority should do something about this before it is too late.’
Another respondent who does business at the trailer park also complained of similar incident, stressing that it is not the first or second time it happened everyday.

“We are really dying here .Help us to tell the government to come and remove the man for burial”

He said a similar incident happened last year and it took along time before the man was buried.

As at the time of filling this report, the body was lying at the spot.
A number of motorists who spoke on the issue expressed concern over the incident and urged for urgent attention by the Authority concerned.
They the odour is even distracting their attentions.

The Eleme local Government Council and health Authorities in the area could not be reached for comments.

As noted by some respondents , the incident is not the first and not limited to the East West road.
The case of dead bodies on the road has become a thing of concern.
But at the moment Eleme local Government Council should do something about the decomposing body at Onne junction.

By: John Bibor