30 years after, another toxic waste scare hits Koko

Thirty years after 8,000 drums of toxic wastes were dumped in Koko town in Warri North Local Government of Delta State by unscrupulous Italian businessmen, a fresh toxic waste scare has hit the ancient Itsekiri community.

The dumping of a yet unknown quantity of industrial wastes from the facilities of an oil multinational is causing panic in the community.

Sources in the town told The Nation that the materials started arriving in the community by vessels several months ago, but the panic was sparked by reports that laboratory tests have confirmed the waste to be toxic.

”Our initial reports have confirmed our fears; the materials are toxic. The tests were carried out in several facilities, including some belonging to a government agency.

”We have all the results ready now and are preparing to take the reports to the Minister of Environment before the end of this week,” a source said.

Despite the concern, more consignments of the alleged harmful materials were still being shipped to the town, last Tuesday evening.

There are fears that many children may have drunk from water sources that are likely to have been contaminated by the waste as a primary school water source is located directly near the site.

“People around the area first noticed the material sometime last year. They are being brought in by barges and trucks picked them up to the site, where they are now burying them,” a source, who asked not to be named because of ongoing investigations, told our reporter.

Nevertheless, an official of Ebenco Services, the company behind the materials, said contrary to the allegation, they are not toxic but sludge, which are being recycled.

The Nation, February 16, 2017

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