Women from the Nissi, Kapam, and Rido communities of Kaduna State have taken to the state’s Refinery and Petrochemical Company to protest over alleged chemical pollution that has affected their health, farmland, and livelihoods.

The protesters gathered at the refinery as early as 6:00 a.m on Monday accusing the company of releasing a harmful chemical in August 2024, which caused illness, destruction of crops, and the death of livestock.

The Nissi community women’s leader, Mrs Juliana Abrak, who spoke to newsmen said;

“We are suffering. There is no food, and we have to go elsewhere in search of something to eat. We have fertile land, but we are too afraid to farm.”

While Mrs. Abrak complained bitterly that the company would not attend to them despite being there since 5am, a Kapam resident, Mrs Kelita Yaguda narrated her experience with the pollution saying;

“They took some of us to the hospital but only gave us paracetamol and ulcer medication. They promised to treat us for a week but only attended to a few people for two days.

“Some of our children have even resorted to stealing out of hunger. We are more than 500 people, yet fewer than 50 received any form of assistance.

Meanwhile, Kapam community women’s leader, Mrs Lydia Moses, said that the officials of the company had repeatedly promised them that the Abuja authorities would compensate them but nothing has been given yet.

She recounted how the officials today I records of all the damages only to relax after making fruitless promises.

“They came in December, documented the damage, and promised a response within two weeks. It’s now May, and nothing has been done. Our crops have failed, our livestock have died, and some women have even suffered miscarriages,” she lamented.

The residents in the aforementioned communities are beckoning on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd to come to their aid.

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