Bagega is a Hausa-speaking village located in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria. The village gained international attention due to a significant lead poisoning crisis linked to artisanal gold mining.
Location:
Coordinates: 11°51′54″N 6°00′10″E
Surrounding areas: Dorca, Maigelma, and Tuduki.
Economic Activity:
Bagega’s economy is heavily centered on artisanal mining, particularly for gold. This mining activity, while a source of livelihood, has also been linked to severe environmental and health issues due to the high levels of lead contamination in the region.
Lead Poisoning Crisis:
In 2012, international organizations like Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations raised alarm about the health crisis in Bagega, where children were suffering from lead poisoning caused by exposure to contaminated dust from artisanal gold mining.
Impact: Over 4,000 children were reported to be suffering from lead poisoning, and more than 400 children had died by the time the crisis gained global attention.
Response: The Nigerian government pledged $5.3 million in 2012 for environmental cleanup, which was eventually released after the viral #SaveBagega campaign led by activists like Hamzat Lawal.
#SaveBagega Campaign:
The campaign started on Twitter and gained global attention, eventually reaching millions of people and drawing widespread media coverage. By January 2013, the Nigerian government released the pledged funds for remediation efforts.
Remediation Efforts:
In April 2013, Médecins Sans Frontières began environmental cleanup and initiated chelation therapy for affected children, a medical treatment to remove lead from their bodies.
In May 2013, Nigeria’s Minister for Environment, Hadiza Mailafia, declared that Bagega was safe for habitation after successful remediation.
The lead poisoning crisis in Bagega serves as a stark reminder of the environmental and health hazards associated with unregulated mining practices in the region.
