Nigerian Children Die From Lead Poisoning

Illegal gold mining in the province of Zamfara, Northern Nigeria, has polluted the water of numerous towns causing 400 children to die from lead poisoning.

The Human Rights Watch organization says this is the worst case of lead poisoning not just in Nigeria but in human history.

The organization states that about 4.2 million dollars is needed to clean up the soiled areas and even more money and medicine are desperately needed to threat thousands of ill children.

Nigerian children are being exposed to excessive amounts of lead that enters their bloodstream when parents, who work in the gold fields, bring the material home still stuck to their clothes.

Excessive lead can cause irreparable damage to the nervous and reproductive systems and the kidneys and is often deadly.

The lead is especially harmful to young children and pregnant women who pass the metal on to fetuses or to babies via breastfeeding.

Additionally, many parents work on gold ore at home to make extra money, resulting in even more exposure to the deadly toxin by children.

The gold digging that is performed by local towns is often illegal and does not comply with government rules and safety requirements.

For people from small towns, illegal mining is almost mandatory in order to survive and provide food and water for families.

The lead also infiltrates the ground and water systems that are often uncontrolled and children can been seen drinking from water hoses lying in the dirt.

General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, NEMA Director (National Emergency Management Agency) said in a statement:

“The immature body system of children exposed to contaminated soils and gold processing tools tends to rapidly absorb associated lead and in the process poisoning then leading to convulsion, paralysis and even death.”

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