Zamfara hit by lead-poison again
Ibrahim SidiMuh’d, Gusau

An impending epidemic of lead poison is threatening Zamfara State, particularly its state capital of Gusau as another batch of victims of lead-poison has been identified in the State,sending government officials and traditional leaders into a state of panic.

Those afflicted however are yet to be completely known as both the traditional council and state government are keeping the numbers as guarded secrets.

All that is known is thatSamaru, Tsunami, Mai Toshshi and Polo areas all in Gusau metropolis, the Zamfara state capital, have been identified as worst hit. It is suspected that certain unscrupulous elements may have smuggled contaminated objects and chemicals out of mining factories into urban areas with intent to making capital gain.

The Emir of Gusau, AlhajiKabir Dan Baba has claimed that 64 people were medically tested and confirmed to have been affected by elements of lead-poisoning, according to one of the victims.

The emir who made the announcement in a broadcast on the state owned radio, expressed fear of an impending epidemic reminiscent of the similar incident that occurred in Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas of the state a couple of years ago. He feared a repeat in .loss of several lives in his domain, which he saidhad been confirmed by medical experts indicating that many people in the stated areas had actually inhaled an amount of mining processing dust capable of leading to their death.

AlhajiKabir Dan Baba lamented the filthy act of sneaking in the mining objects by some irresponsible people to process it within adensely populated metropolitan areas in order to achieve monetary gains.

“It is quite dare-devil for someone to violate warnings by the state government and numerous health organisations against mining activities within resident areas”, the emir queried.

He warned that the emirate will not fold its arms to watch individuals and, or group of people illegally conducting mining activities within the territory stressing the need “for people to be very vigilante and report any suspected mining spot to any of the security agencies in the state”.

Commenting, the Gusau Local government Council chairman, AlhajiLawaliMada who spoke through his Director Primary Health Department, Ismaila Ibrahim however said they were yet to receive any report pertaining to an outbreak.

The director claimed that he was only assigned by the chairman to visit Tudun Wada Police division in response to a notice of arrest of some people given by the Police in connection with the case of illegal mining activities.

“We dont know the source of information emanating from the emirate council on the outbreak of lead-poison, but the local government will investigate and intervene accordingly”, said the director.

Also commenting on the matter, the Secretary to the Gusau Emirate Council, NuraddeenKabirDanbaba,disclosed further that a case of lead poisoning was detected at the Federal Medical Center,Gusau when some people were examined during a normal medical check-up.

The Secretary revealed that, doctors who conducted medical examinations on some out patientshadcame up with the results confirming thatsome of them people’s blood contained a threatening amount of lead-poison.

Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Gold Buyers and Sellers Cooperative Union have disassociated itself from the illegal miners currently inpolice custody. The union secretary, AlhajiSa’aduAdamu, who claimed ignorance of illegal mining activities by his union members said, the union had since complied with the state government directive which banned unauthorized mining activities.

http://roadmapnigeria.com/news/?p=984

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It is called population reduction. Nothing new there.

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