The House of Representatives has called for a full inquiry into the severe lead poisoning outbreak in Ogijo, Shagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, describing the incident as a national emergency that exposes grave regulatory lapses in Nigeria’s environmental and public health systems.
This followed a motion of urgent national importance on Wednesday, moved by Ayoola Elegbeji (APC, Ogun), who warned that persistent environmental abuse was now threatening citizens’ right to life, dignity and a safe environment as guaranteed by the Constitution.
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Presenting the motion, Ms Elegbeji noted that the Nigerian State has a constitutional duty to protect and improve the environment, safeguard water, air, land, forests and wildlife, and enforce laws guiding industrial activities. She stressed that environmental violations by factories not only endanger local communities but also undermine national credibility.
She cited existing laws such as the Factories Act Cap F1 2004, which places clear obligations on employers to ensure the health and safety of workers, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act 2007, which establishes mechanisms for environmental protection.
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She also referenced the 2024 International Environmental Battery Control Regulations, which govern the battery life cycle and seek to curb hazardous leaks from lead-based industrial processes.
The lawmaker said the House was alarmed that the Ogijo crisis had drawn intense global condemnation from health organisations, environmental watchdogs and international media. She referenced the New York Times’ widely circulated investigative documentary The Examination, which spotlighted Nigeria’s recurring lead poisoning tragedies and questioned the country’s capacity to enforce its own environmental laws.
“This is a national issue,” Ms Elegbeji said. “The contamination of soil, water sources and air in Ogijo linked to battery-recycling factories operating without adequate controls has exposed thousands of residents to dangerous levels of lead.
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“This crisis mirrors what we have seen in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Osun, Oyo and Plateau, and now Ogun State. It reflects an ongoing national challenge in managing industrial and mining pollution.”
She added that the irreversible health consequences of lead exposure, including neurological damage, developmental disorders in children, organ failure, cancers, reproductive complications and premature death, have become indicators of weak governance, poor regulatory enforcement and inadequate protection for vulnerable communities.
The lawmaker further expressed concern that previous enforcement actions by federal and state authorities, including the closure of harmful factories and a temporary ban on the export of lead ingots, were later relaxed or lifted. This, Ms Elegbeji argued, “created the impression that short-term economic gains are being placed above human life and Nigeria’s long-term national interests.”
She warned that without decisive legislative reforms, including amendments to existing laws and the introduction of tougher sanctions, Nigeria risked long-term reputational damage, possible trade restrictions on recycled metals, and the burden of a preventable public health disaster.
Supporting the motion, Gaza Gbwefi (SDP, Nasarawa) recalled the tragic lead poisoning outbreak in Zamfara, where more than 700 children died.
He said the current situation in Ogijo echoes the many unrecorded deaths occurring in mining communities due to toxic exposure.
“In the key agenda of this government, we emphasise value addition in solid minerals and efforts toward industrialisation,” he said. “But industrialisation comes with significant by-products. We cannot pursue a one-trillion-dollar economy while sacrificing citizens’ lives to sharp practices and non-adherence to environmental laws.”
He urged the House to ensure strict oversight and compel relevant agencies to improve compliance and enforcement.
House resolutions
The House resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the Ogijo lead poisoning crisis, assess the environmental and health impacts, review relevant laws, and report within eight weeks.
It also called on the federal government to impose a temporary moratorium on the export of recycled lead ingots pending the completion of the investigation.
Lawmakers further directed the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and NESREA to collaborate with the Ogun State Government to establish a joint emergency response team for Ogijo and its surrounding areas.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was urged to provide emergency medical assistance, humanitarian support and temporary relocation for severely affected families.
The House said the investigation will help determine accountability, strengthen environmental legislation and protect communities from further exposure.
The Ogijo lead poisoning
The lead contamination in Ogijo has been traced to multiple used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling plants, including True Metals Nigeria Limited and Everest Metal Nigeria Ltd.
These facilities were found to be operating without basic environmental safeguards, including the absence of functional fume-control systems, inadequate handling and disposal of slag and other toxic waste, and the failure to conduct mandatory periodic blood-lead screenings for workers.
A two-part PREMIUM TIMES investigation, conducted in partnership with The Examination, uncovered extensive lead pollution in the soil and in the blood of residents. The findings showed that the recycling plants have tainted the air that residents inhale and the ground where children play.
The investigation also documented dangerous workplace conditions that left employees with alarmingly high Blood Lead Levels. All the workers tested were found to be poisoned, with one recording a level of 38 micrograms per decilitre, a threshold the World Health Organisation regards as severely elevated.
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