Commercial coal mining has turned the village of Okobo, a small town located in North-Central Nigeria, into a contaminated wasteland, with residents developing illnesses from a toxic and uninhabitable environment.

1. Okobo is a small town in the Enjema district of Ankpa Local Government area of Kogi
state in North-Central Nigeria. Commercial coal mining has turned the village into a
contaminated wasteland, with residents developing illnesses from a toxic and
uninhabitable environment.
Photo by Caracal Reports

2. 8 year old Acho, who suffers from likely environment-related pulmonary ailments, picks up
pebbles from a potentially contaminated river
Photo by Caracal Reports

3. Commercial coal mining excavations disrupt clean drinking water for the Okobo residents.
Photo by Caracal Reports

4. Coal mining excavations degenerate the environment, causing uninhabitable and dangerous living
conditions.
Photo by Caracal Reports

5. Contaminated dust is a common site in Okobo.
Photo by Caracal Reports

6. Commercial coal mining site in Okobo village.
Photo by Caracal Reports

7. The only school in Okobo, which is a replacement for an old school that collapsed due
to strong vibrations from large excavation tractors.
Photo by Caracal Reports

8. Contaminated residue water from coal mining activities travel to the community’s only
stream for domestic water use.
Photo by Caracal Reports

9. Big tractors drive on the road leading into Okobo and the entire village gets immersed
in dust.
Photo by Caracal Reports