Abuja: A lead poisoning in Nigeria's northern state of Zamfara which has killed more than 400 children and affected thousands is "worst" in modern history, an international watch dog has said.
Nigeria needs USD 4 million to clean up the area but cleanup has not even begun in many areas, the United States-based Human Rights Watch noted.
It has asked for urgent medical attention for thousands of children and villages that were contaminated "in worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history".
Human Rights Watch observed that low standard of living and lack of portable water forced villagers living in poisoned areas to fetch water from ponds for drinking and washing.
The watchdog organisation spoke to 20-year-old Amina Murtala who disclosed that she has lost three of her six siblings to lead poisoning.
Her compound has been tested and it was discovered that it has excess lead concentration.
Last year, Henry Akpan, the chief epidemiologist at the Oil rich African country's ministry of health said some residents of northern state of Zamfara became victims of poisoning after commencing some illegal mining operations in
the area sometime in March.
According to the ministry, most of the victims were children mostly those who played in contaminated water flowing near the illegal mining sites.
"The children played near the leaching process or took part in it, swallowing the lead by inhaling it or putting their contaminated hands in their mouths," he had said.
During a yearly immunisation exercise carried out by health officials in the area, it was discovered that there were almost no children in the villages of Zamfara but the adults mistook their sudden death to Malaria which is a common
ailment in the country.
Investigation by health officials revealed that an abnormally large amount of lead was circulating in the villagers' bodies which led to the discovery of why the death rate is high.
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