By Tosin Kolade
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has raised concern over the contamination of groundwater sources in parts of Kogi and Kebbi States, following assessments that revealed high levels of heavy metals and microbial pollutants.
The Director-General of NiHSA, Mr Umar Mohammed, disclosed this during a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
Mohammed said the findings followed NiHSA’s groundwater quality assessment and validation study.
The exercise covered selected sites in Birnin Kebbi, Augie and Argungu Local Government Areas of Kebbi, and Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.
He explained that the assessment examined both the chemical and hydrological characteristics of sampled water sources.
According to him, the analysis showed that two heavy metals; arsenic and lead were detected in concentrations far above permissible limits, posing serious health risks to residents who rely on the affected sources for drinking and domestic use.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard for arsenic in groundwater is 0.001 mg/L, but samples collected from wells in Kebbi showed concentrations ranging from 0.75 to 4 mg/L.
Mohammed explained that prolonged exposure to such high arsenic levels could lead to arsenicosis, a condition linked to skin lesions, hearing loss and liver complications.
He added that microbial contaminants were also detected in several samples, with pathogen concentrations reaching 200 CFU/mL, against the permissible zero level.
He warned that continued consumption of such contaminated water could result in intestinal infections and possible disease outbreaks in affected communities.
Mohammed further disclosed that lead concentrations in Kogi were also above acceptable limits, ranging from 0.23 to 0.56 mg/L, compared with the WHO and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality limit of 0.01 mg/L.
“Lead is a dangerous contaminant known to cause cognitive impairment and other severe health complications.
“We recall what happened in Zamfara, where more than 400 children died from lead poisoning linked to mining activities,” he said.
The NiHSA boss stressed that the findings highlight the urgent need for integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, noting that contaminated floodwaters increase the risk of cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases.
“What we have uncovered in Kebbi State is more than an environmental concern; it is a public health emergency in the making.
“This is why NiHSA is moving beyond flood forecasting to validate the health and social impacts of hydrological events to save lives,” he said.
Mohammed said the agency would share its findings with relevant public institutions and health authorities to guide intervention efforts.
“We intend to work closely with the health sector and other stakeholders to ensure public sensitisation and preventive measures to protect communities from potential health risks,” he added.
He clarified that NiHSA has no mandate to penalise any state, local government or community that fails to comply with its forecasts, stressing that the agency’s role is advisory—to provide data, focus and guidance.
He explained that under the national framework, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) provides weather forecasts, while NiHSA focuses on hydrological and flood forecasts.
“Both agencies supply critical information to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which engages affected communities to issue early warnings and coordinate response efforts.
“Together, we help people prepare and respond effectively,” he said.
Mohammed added that the Federal Government is developing mechanisms to encourage compliance with forecasts and strengthen preparedness across states and communities.
“The goal is not to punish non-compliance but to promote proactive response through supportive programmes and initiatives,” he noted.
He said NiHSA has deepened stakeholder engagement by identifying the roles of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in supporting and enhancing its work.
“Our collaboration with NiMET, NEMA, NASRDA and the Federal Ministry of Environment has improved significantly.
“In fact, in the near future, NiHSA and NiMET may jointly release forecasts on the same day, which is a major step forward,” he said.
At the regional level, Mohammed said NiHSA experts are involved in training and capacity-building activities through existing agreements with regional bodies.
“For instance, we successfully completed a pilot project in Sokoto fully funded by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS).
“We are also strengthening collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) to improve hydrological charts that support economic development and growth in the region,” he said.
On the international front, he noted that NiHSA’s partnerships with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and UNESCO have raised Nigeria’s profile in hydrological monitoring and technical cooperation.
“These collaborations have earned Nigerian experts regional recognition.
“For example, the Liberian government recently sent officials to NiHSA for training in hydrological monitoring and forecasting, and our team will soon visit Liberia to assess their application of the acquired skills,” he said.
Similarly, he said ECOWAS had acknowledged the precision and reliability of NiHSA’s flood forecasts and modelling tools and requested the agency to train other West African countries in flood forecasting and modelling.
“This recognition underscores Nigeria’s growing leadership in hydrological forecasting and regional capacity development,” he added.
(NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
