FG Warns Of Toxic Groundwater In Kogi, Lagos, Kebbi
By AUGUSTINA McSOLOMON-OGHAKPERUO
THE Federal Government has raised an alarm over dangerous levels of groundwater contamination discovered in parts of Kogi, Lagos and Kebbi states, warning that thousands of residents may already be exposed to toxic chemicals and disease-causing microbes.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) revealed the findings in its latest water quality and flood-impact assessment. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the agency’s Director-General, Umar Mohammed, said Kogi recorded some of the most severe pollution levels, especially in Lokoja Local Government Area.
According to him, water samples taken from wells and boreholes showed unsafe concentrations of lead, cadmium, nitrite, fluoride and multiple harmful microorganisms. Tests in Lokoja revealed extremely high lead levels—between 0.56 and 12.0 mg/L—alongside E. coli, Salmonella and Streptococcus, pointing to widespread faecal contamination.
Mohammed attributed the pollution to sewage infiltration, leaching from waste dumps, corroded pipelines and floodwater intrusion. He warned that exposure to such contaminants could result in serious health problems ranging from neurological damage and kidney failure to bone deformities and waterborne disease outbreaks.
NiHSA also reported worrying contamination in Lagos, particularly in parts of Ikeja and Ikoyi, where chemical pollutants and microbes were detected. In Kebbi’s Argungu LGA, groundwater samples contained dangerously high arsenic levels as well as heavy microbial presence, raising risks of arsenicosis, liver damage and severe intestinal infections.
Water engineer Mathew Ajisafe advised residents in affected communities to immediately stop using well and borehole water, stressing that prolonged consumption could lead to long-term health complications. He urged state governments to begin supplying treated water pending remediation.
NiHSA has called for urgent collaboration between federal and state authorities, intensified public awareness and rapid deployment of safe water alternatives to prevent a potential public health crisis.
