A wave of fear and fury has swept through communities in Kogi’s Omala Local Government Area, where residents say their lands are poisoned, their water undrinkable, and their lives left hanging in the balance — all allegedly due to coal mining activities.
Now, the Kogi State House of Assembly has stepped in, ordering the immediate suspension of all coal mining operations in the area after harrowing revelations surfaced during Wednesday’s plenary session.
“This is a slow genocide,” declared Hon. Yahaya Umar, who represents the Omala Constituency and raised the motion of urgent public concern. “Our rivers are polluted with acidic waste. Our farms are dying. People are sick, and no one is taking responsibility.”
The accusations are staggering. Mining firms, notably Rockbottom Mines and Power and Mosra Enerji Ltd, stand accused of discharging toxic waste into the Alugbo River, the lifeline for dozens of villages including Oliya, Icheke Ajedibo, Ikeffi, and Abejukolo. Reports from the ground suggest entire families have fallen ill, livestock deaths have surged, and food security is under threat.
Despite holding licenses under Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Strategy, the companies have delivered zero electricity, residents say. “They promised lights but brought darkness instead,” a local youth leader in Oloku lamented to Daily Post Nigeria.
Other lawmakers joined the outcry. Hon. Jacob Olawumi described the events as a disgrace, warning that Kogi’s natural wealth is being looted without regard for human lives.
Hon. Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin called the pollution “criminal,” and slammed the firms for choosing profit over people.
But it didn’t stop at the corporations. Some traditional rulers were also fingered for alleged collusion with mining companies. Hon. Idrees Maikudi accused certain monarchs of granting illegal land access in exchange for backdoor deals. “This betrayal must end,” he said.
Presiding over the tense session, Deputy Speaker Comfort Egwaba made it clear that Kogi State would no longer sit idly by.
“We are facing a statewide environmental emergency,” she said, noting that similar damage has been recorded in Ijumu, Ankpa, and Ajaokuta. She insisted that all mining companies must now sign legally enforceable Community Development Agreements and comply with corporate social responsibility standards or face sanctions.
To ensure action, the House has directed the Ministry of Solid Minerals to carry out a full compliance audit of mining operations across the state. Emergency clean water supply has also been requested for affected communities.
In a further move to ensure accountability, a five-member Ad-hoc Committee has been constituted to probe the activities of coal miners in Omala and beyond, with findings expected within two weeks.
For communities who say they have been ignored for years, this intervention offers a glimmer of hope. “We are not against development,” said Mama Ifeoma, a farmer in Ikeffi. “But it shouldn’t cost us our health, our land, and our children’s future.”