In the heart of Benin City, the capital of Nigeria’s Edo State, lies the Ikpoba Slope community, a neighourhood affected by environmental pollution. Once a thriving area, it has now become a breeding ground for infectious diseases.
This is largely due to the 23 abattoirs that operate unchecked, releasing a toxic mix of animal waste, blood, and other pollutants into the environment. Recently, this once-thriving community has become a mere shadow of its former self. It wasn’t just the choking stench of animal waste or the smoke from burning cow horns, but the grief of a couple burying their child. 10-year-old Samuel Osarion succumbed to typhoid fever.
Her parents, Ruth and Emmanuel Osarion, had spent their meagre savings on medication, but it was not enough. Her father said:
“Samuel just got weaker and weaker. We took him to the ospital, but they told us it was typhoid from contaminated water. He didn’t even last two days.”
