Fuel crisis: Lepers in Lagos resort to drinking contaminated water

The recent scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS) in Lagos has forced the Alabarago lepers’ community to rely on contaminated water for their daily needs.

During a discussion with communications scholars from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Tuesday, community leader Mr. Umar Abdullahi revealed that the polluted community well has become the primary source of water for drinking, cooking, and other chores since the PMS price hike and subsequent scarcity.

Abdullahi explained that the problem has persisted for more than six months due to the community’s inability to purchase fuel for operating its borehole plant. “We have a borehole provided by a non-governmental organization (NGO), but we cannot use it because of the financial cost to operate it. We still rely on the well for water. Before the fuel hike and scarcity, we barely managed to contribute enough money to use the borehole once or twice a month,” he said.

He added, “Our situation has worsened in 2024. We haven’t been able to operate the borehole due to fuel costs, and now there is a scarcity. Many people are falling ill because everyone is drinking the contaminated well water.”

When asked about the community’s ability to cope with the sanitation and water supply issues, Abdullahi mentioned that they use alum to purify the brownish well water. “We use alum to treat the water before drinking it. The water isn’t perfect, but we add alum and let it sit before using it,” he explained.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) experts have noted that many pipes supplying water to various parts of Lagos via the Waterworks Corporation are outdated and rusted. However, Alabarago’s situation is even more dire as they lack access to the problematic piped water.

Dr. Hope Orivri, a WASH specialist and Communication for Development expert, called for urgent action from the Lagos State government and affluent traders at Alaba International Market. “Contaminated water is extremely dangerous, especially for those who are already ill. The community also needs proper sanitation facilities. I hope the state or local government can intervene, and private organizations can adopt this challenge as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project for this neglected community,” she said.

Orivri warned that a disease outbreak in Alabarago could pose a health risk to the Alaba International Market, Lagos State University (LASU), the densely populated Ojo/Alaba region, and potentially the entire Lagos State.

She highlighted the critical role of WASH facility provision and behavioral change in achieving public health goals, emphasizing the need for the Lagos State government to address Alabarago’s dire situation. “Lagos has a commendable policy on WASH, but there is often a disconnect between policy and action,” she noted.

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Despite the lack of clean water and sanitation issues, Abdullahi pointed out that the community’s most significant challenges include education, with no schools available, inadequate housing, and limited vocational opportunities. The Alabarago lepers’ community, a small group of people with disabilities primarily due to leprosy, lives amidst the debris from Africa’s largest electronics marketplace, Alaba International Market.