July 26, 2012:

The Kaduna State House of Assembly  on Wednesday commenced investigations into the allegations that the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company  dumped toxic waste in Rido Village, in Chikun Local Government Area of the state. The community claimed that the waste had caused some damages in their community. They  maintained  that  two children and 600 poultry birds belonging to a senior military officer died as a result of the harmful waste. The house investigation  came on the heels of  the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority’s claim,  through its laboratory test, that the dumped waste was not harmful to the environment and public health.

The report dated July 10, 2012 and signed by the director of the agency’s laboratory services, Lawal Usman, read, “The confirmatory test shows that the results obtained are within acceptable. Therefore, the refuse dumped is not harmful to the environment and public health.” However,  Colonel Ismaila Isah insisted that he lost 600 birds in his poultry as a result of the waste, adding that more than 10 dogs within the community also died as a result of the waste. “I raised the alarm when they dumped the waste on June 10, 2012. I lost 600 birds within six hours. I have been raising birds for a long time but I have never suffered this kind of loss. The birds inhaled the harmful air and died. My veterinary doctor told me that the birds died of respiratory disorder caused by air pollution from the waste dumped,” he  said.

Pastor Wale Michael, who  also spoke  before the committee, claimed that his dog and his neighbour’s son died as a result of the waste, a claim that was vehemently disputed by some members of the community. Mr. Aminu Mohammed claimed that his family cooked with woods from the waste and nothing happened to them. Public Affairs Manager of the KRPC,  Mr. Abdullahi Idris, while insisting that the waste was not toxic, noted that the company contracted for waste disposal who dumped the waste in the area had been sanctioned.

By Punchng.com