Following the continuous emission of Black Soot in Rivers State, particularly in Port Harcourt and its environs, the residents are crying out to Governor Nyesom Wike to declare a state of emergency.

Dr Nimmo Bassey, a Port Harcourt-based environmentalist and Director of the Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, stated that the impact of the Black Soot on human beings and the environment could be damaging in the long run.

“The Black Soot is unlike the smoke from out traditional lanterns that we used in those days. The Black Soot is in particles so you can actually see it. It is very dangerous. I wiped my television set this morning with a white handkerchief and it turned black. I wiped the inner part of my nose and it was there. If this was happening in countries where human lives were valued, a state of health emergency would have been declared and if nothing could be done about it, then the evacuation of the populace would have commenced in earnest. I need money, so I work, but my life is precious. So, I am thinking of relocating from the state. We may not understand, but the long term effect could be very disastrous. My neighbour’s child was rushed to the hospital three days ago for respiratory tract infection. It is a sad narrative, really,” a pharmacist, who lives at Ogbogoro area of the Port Harcourt, said.

The Black Soot was first noticed in August 2016 and has become more intense and consistent in the past few days, formed in black particles and settled on rooftops, car tops, on human bodies, and in homes sending panic waves to the people of the state.

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