The Itsekiri Environmental and Human Rights Group (IEHRG), has called on the Federal Government to seal-off Ebenco Global Link while conducting investigation on the toxic waste dumped in Koko town.
Ebenco Global Link Ltd. is the company accused of dumping toxic and carcinogenic oil sludge and slurry waste in Koko, the administrative headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta.
Mr Tony Ede, the coordinator, IEHRG made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Warri.
He said that the management of Ebenco Global Link was making efforts to sweep the issue of dumping of the toxic waste in Koko under the carpet.
Recall that Koko, the headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta suffered same fate in 1988, when toxic from Italy was dumped in the town.
Ede also alleged that some leaders and elders of the community were making frantic efforts to cover up the offensive materials.
“Some unscrupulous leaders and elders of Koko community have been on 24 hours a day unending activities to cover up the discovered offensive materials.
“Ebenco Global Link has been ferrying tons and tons of sharp and laterite sand to the site where the toxic waste was dumped to bury and cover up the highly toxic and carcinogenic wastes.
“The offensive substances were dumped in open pits with all the attendant health and ecological implications to the people of the area.
“The waste materials are made up of sludge and slurry of an oil company in Escravos.
“They are being transferred from Escravos in badges to a jetty in Koko and to the dump site in tankers, trucks and containers,” Ede said.
The coordinator said that series of tests had been conducted on samples of storm water, oil, sludge and slurry from the site by reputable laboratories on the toxicity of the wastes.
He said that the test confirmed that the materials at the dump site were highly toxic and carcinogenic.
“The dumped waste materials were found to contain dangerous and very high levels of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), oil and grease, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH).
‘BETEX – (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene and xylene), Iron, Mercury, Chromium and some other heavy metals with values hazardous to human and animal health and florals.
“As at Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, Ebenco has heaped tons of sand on the dump site and used bulldozers to grind and press the toxic waste into the ground,” he added.
Ede said that it was unfortunate that some leaders, elders and residents of the community were supporting Ebenco in the cover up by alleging that they were on the company’s payroll.
He said that residents of Koko were still dying from the effects of the toxic waste dumped in the town in 1988.
“The town is currently witnessing an unusual degree of infertility, still births and deformities from a combination of Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons from the Italian toxic waste dumped in Koko in 1988,” he said.
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