The Senate has mandated the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Environment; the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) including the NESREA and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals to quickly look into the lead poisoning crisis at Ogijo community in Ogun State and report back to the Chamber within six weeks.
The motion, jointly sponsored by Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), was brought under Matters of Urgent Public Importance pursuant to Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended).
During the plenary on Thursday , the lawmakers expressed grave concerns over the reported fast-spreading lead-poisoning crisis in Ogijo, describing it as a full-blown environmental and public-health emergency that threatened thousands of lives.
The lawmakers cited scientifically verified reports of extreme lead contamination linked to a cluster of used lead-acid battery (ULABs) recycling factories operating in the area for years.
The Senators said that the crisis had left residents battling persistent headaches, abdominal pain, memory loss, seizures, and developmental delays in children, symptoms strongly associated with chronic lead exposure.
A major dimension of the scandal, lawmakers said, was that lead processed in Ogijo had already been traced into international supply chains, reaching global battery and automobile manufacturers who either did not address the findings or relied solely on assurances from Nigerian suppliers.
Following the extensive deliberations, the chamber mandated the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to deploy emergency medical teams to Ogijo to provide free toxicology screenings, blood-lead management, chelation therapy, and ongoing treatment for affected children and adults.
Simultaneously, the Federal Ministry of Environment and NESREA were directed to carry out comprehensive environmental remediation, mapping soil, groundwater, air, and household dust contamination.
They recommended establishing a National Lead Poisoning Response and Remediation Task Force within NEMA and directed the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor progress and report back within six weeks.
