No fewer than 300 children have so far died of lead poisoning at Yar’ Galma village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, the Emir of Bukkuyum, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman, has said.

The emir spoke at the commissioning and handing over of a solar powered borehole executed by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), under its Lead Free Water Purification Scheme at Yar’ Galma.

The emir who thanked the foundation for the project, said lead poisoning had affected many communities in the area with devastating consequences. He appealed to the relevant authorities to extend the scheme to other affected villages.

The chairman of the foundation, Justice Mamman Nasir, said the project was under the foundation’s health intervention programme and was designed to provide potable water free from lead poisoning and other contaminants to the community.

Governor AbdulAziz Yari who was represented by the Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Alhaji Lawali M. Liman, said provision of potable water to rural communities was a priority of his administration.