[size=15pt]Nigeria's Plateau State wants $100bn (£50bn) in compensation from the UK and Europe [/size]

Nigeria's Plateau State wants $100bn (£50bn) in compensation from the UK and Europe for environmental damage caused, it says, by mining in colonial times.

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency says it has discovered radioactive materials buried under the soil.

Radioactive waste occurs in the material that remains when tin is extracted from its ore.

Many children and cattle are also reported to have fallen into disused quarries and died.

The mines were owned by British and other European companies between the early 1900s and the 1960s.

The state government has compiled a report showing the extent of the damage during that time.

It says mining companies dug around 5,000 quarries that have since filled with water.

The Jos Plateau - which the state is named after - became one of the world's major suppliers of tin.



But other metals such as lead, uranium, tantalite and zircon have also been mined.

Tin was exported to cities in the UK such as Liverpool and Manchester.

The BBC's Shehu Saulawa in Plateau State says the mining has affected farmers, fishermen and grazing grounds belonging to Fulani herdsmen.

Other people have suffered health problems from drinking water from the ponds which contains a lot of iron, the report says.

The state government is asking for representatives from the UK and other countries to visit affected areas to see the damage.

It said if there is no reparation or compensation then it would take "appropriate legal action".


source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7489551.stm

What this government is doing is pure acts of diversion, they have run out of ideas in running the state and they feel like making some noise. I know Plateau State and it is true that these pits exist particularly around Barkin Ladi to Dorowa, up to Mangu area. But I doubt if the claim that people and cattle are falling and dying inside the pits is true. M.K.O. Abiola fought for reparation in his life time all to no avail. This government should come over to the Lagos State Government and seek for ideas on how to develop the state.

desgiezd:

What this government is doing is pure acts of diversion, they have run out of ideas in running the state and they feel like making some noise. I know Plateau State and it is true that these pits exist particularly around Barkin Ladi to Dorowa, up to Mangu area. But I doubt if the claim that people and cattle are falling and dying inside the pits is true. M.K.O. Abiola fought for reparation in his life time all to no avail. This government should come over to the Lagos State Government and seek for ideas on how to develop the state.

This is a legitimate demand. developing a state and asking for compensation for wrongs against you are two seperate things.

the Jews demand compensation from swiss and they got it despite the fact most of them are very rich.

US/UK demand compensation from Libya and they got it despite the fact both are one of the biggest economy in the world.

Plateau state deserves our support. It will show that you can expect to wrong people and get away with it.

But, i know we have many illiterate in govt; this campaign will amount to nothing since we cannot pressure UK.

what a sad country and its people