Tucked along the bustling Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, the Gujeni community in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State faces a worsening pollution crisis. Despite growing concerns, the environmental and public health emergency unfolding here has yet to receive the urgent attention it demands.
The greens on both sides of the road are beautifully lush, especially as the rains have started pouring. But then, blackened trees and grasses begin to appear. Soot everywhere. A factory to the left with black smoke spewing unchecked into the atmosphere.
Then, there is a community. All trees and houses, and everything sooted in black. Community folks everywhere with forlorn looks.
On Monday, one of then, Adamu (not real name), says it has been like that for long. “Is the government aware?” “Everyone is, including our district head,” he replies. A bystander retorts: “Are they not all part of the problem? Have they all not been settled (a Nigerian euphemism for bribe)?
A look into the community, its blackness and health situation is a reminder of the danger all, including the children, face. A reminder of hell on earth and some persons’ negligence that endangers the community folks and those who drive past. It appeared on Monday as if drivers increase their speed while driving past the black village.
The story of Gujeni is the story of communities all over Nigeria where foreign miners, particularly of Chinese and Indian extraction, are working mostly unchecked as “settled” government and traditional officials, with lined pockets, look away.
A Community Under Siege
A recent publication and social media posts show concern over the grim consequences. Residents, particularly children and the elderly, are experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses and related health complications. The environment has also suffered. Vegetation is dying, biodiversity is dwindling, and livelihoods—mostly tied to farming and livestock—are increasingly under threat.
Industry’s Response – Green Claims Amid Black Smoke
The main company at the center of this controversy is African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML), a subsidiary of African Industries Group. According to its website, ANRML operates Nigeria’s first fully integrated iron ore mining and processing facility in Gujeni. The plant is equipped with what it describes as “environmentally friendly waste heat recovery technology” and holds Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certifications aligned with international standards.
Yet, residents dispute this narrative. They allege that the plant continues to pour out black, toxic smoke into the atmosphere—challenging the company’s claims of compliance and environmental responsibility. Many in the community point out that the plant, operated by individuals of Indian descent, has done little to ease the suffering its operations appear to be causing.
Advocacy for the Forgotten
In response to the escalating crisis, civil society is stepping in. Gloria Kasang Bulus, Executive Director of Bridge That Gap Initiative, led the Network of Civil Society in Environment to the Kaduna State House of Assembly, supporting a petition highlighting the environmental and health hazards plaguing Gujeni.
According to publications, the petition was championed on the floor of the House by Hon. Henry Zachariah Marah, representing Jaba Constituency. Titled “Motion of Urgent Public Importance,” it called for immediate legislative and environmental intervention.
In response, the Speaker constituted a joint committee comprising the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, led by Hon. Danlami Stingo Usman (Kajuru LGA), and the House Committee on Health, led by Hon. Barnabas Haruna (Kauru LGA). The committee was given one week to investigate and report its findings.
What Needs to Be Done
Civil society groups have outlined key demands:
• Independent Investigations into pollution levels and the steel company’s compliance with environmental laws.
• Environmental and Health Assessments to gauge the full impact on residents and ecosystems.
• Collaboration with KASEPA and other regulatory agencies to create a cleanup and remediation plan.
• Stricter Policy Enforcement to prevent future industrial pollution.
• Community Inclusion in policymaking, through stakeholder visits and public hearings in Gujeni.
Conclusion: Gujeni Deserves Better
What is happening in Gujeni is a tragedy that shouldn’t be ignored. It is a crisis playing out in plain sight, yet met with silence and inaction. While the steel plant claims to follow international standards, the evidence on the ground tells a different story.
It’s time for accountability. For health. For justice. And for the people of Gujeni, who deserve to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and live in a community not sacrificed for industrial gain.
