$4M needed to clean up lead, secure Nigeria mines
LAGOS, Nigeria -- An international watchdog says cleaning up toxic lead and securing gold mines in an impoverished northern Nigerian state will cost an estimated $4 million.
A Human Rights Watch researcher told journalists in Lagos Tuesday that at least 400 children have died from lead poisoning in Zamfara state since the epidemic broke in March 2010.
Jane Cohen said thousands more continue to be exposed in "the worst outbreak of lead poisoning in modern history."
She said the state government is overwhelmed and the federal government has not committed funds to the cleanup.
The group said children were exposed to lead dust when processing ore in gold mines, or through relatives.
It said tests showed most affected areas had 60 times more lead than safe levels.
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