Hundreds of women from the Nissi, Kapam, and Rido communities gathered on Monday to protest at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), accusing the facility of chemical pollution that they claim has endangered their health, farmland, and means of livelihood.
The demonstrators, who assembled as early as 6:00 a.m., allege that a chemical substance released by the refinery in August 2024 caused widespread illness, killed livestock, and devastated crops in the affected areas.
Mrs. Juliana Abrak, a community leader from Nissi, said the contamination had made farming impossible, leaving families hungry and vulnerable.
“We are suffering.
There is no food. Our land is fertile, but we’re too afraid to farm.
People are sick, and we are hungry,” she said, expressing frustration at what she described as the company’s refusal to address their grievances.