By Aisha Habib Maigiwa
From a skip to a mountain of waste, residents of Sheka Yar kasuwa in kumbotso local government area, Kano state witness the menacing transformation of their once clean environment into home of junkyards.
The flies buzz continuously as a young boy walked tentatively, avoiding to step on the broken glasses and decayed food substances adorning the premises.
Passersby cling on to their nose mask for dear life, fighting the pungent odor stagnantly present in the atmosphere.
Standing on the streets of Sheka Yar kasuwa, it was impossible for one not to notice the mountain of waste which now serve as a landmark for visitors.
Despite the environmental hazard the dump site poses to health, teenagers in Sheka Yar kasuwa have made it a source of income, working as scavengers searching for recyclable bottles.
Yusha’u Aminu has been in the waste disposal business for 3 years now and he narrates that
“This is the closest place to dump waste around here, we don’t know of any where else, my friends and I come all the way from Medile and Rafin kuka everyday to dispose of waste materials.
“It is a lucrative business as it provides us with something to put on the table.”
Sheka Market is an area located in Kumbotso local Government In Kano State.
Serving as both a residential and commercial area, its hustle and bustling nature is seemingly predictable.
As at the year 2000, the area just like many other residences was markedly habitable; businesses thrived and people breathed fresh air, the community friendly waste dumpsite served the right purpose to everyone; made up of two large waste disposal skips which were being emptied by the waste management after every two days.
However the situation changed over the years due to a sudden outpour of uncontrolled waste disposal, the waste disposal skips were destroyed leaving the land engulfed in a heap of waste.
Environmental pollution has serious consequences for human health and ecosystems, these consequences include health problems, water contamination, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, increase healthcare cost, contaminate food supplies and reduce agricultural productivity.
Weak waste management significantly contributes to environmental pollution as it leads to blocked drainage, land pollution and flooding risks.
An air quality assessment conducted in May 2025 by the Director of Pollution Control at the Kano State Ministry of Environment and climate change, Ibrahim Nasir, revealed that pollution levels in parts of the metropolis were unsafe for public health.
Safiyya Jafar, a mother of six whose household is attached to Sheka Yar Kasuwa waste dumpsite, squeezes her face in disgust of the odor oozing from the waste dump site lamenting how it is has affect her household over the years.
“The compelling odor is unbearable, we have been living in this house for 23 years now, our drainage systems are blocked, the gutter ways are now stagnant, the house is always smelly and dirty as a result of the waste disposals which sometimes litter the front of the house.
“There has been no development ever since , I wish the dumpsite could be taken away from here completely” She said.
Hafsat Yahya who has lived in the area for over 17 years, grimaces as she describes what she said is the worst situation in her life.
“Worms have become our closest companions, we cannot allow our children go beyond the front of our rooms, sometimes they go out without our knowledge and come back looking dirty and smelly, I always panic whenever my 3 year old son falls sick because it is always one diarrhea case or the other.
“We have rats the size of humans parading our compound, I always have to put on a face mask whenever the waste is being cleared due to the tormenting odor.
“The roads have become so narrow that we no longer park our cars in the compound, motor vehicles struggle to pass through as the waste dump has gradually dominated the road.
“My husband has laid complaints to REMASAB countless times but to no avail.”
Muhammad Nasir, a trader running his business in the area recounts how small the waste dumpsite was before its sudden outburst.
“I have been a trader here ever since the market was created in 1985, the dump site used to be very small in size, it did not bother anyone but today, over 300 carts of waste are disposed here on a daily basis, the place has become a defecation site for many children.
“I sweep my shop almost 10 times a day because of the dirt that keeps coming into the shop, I resulted to using nylon to protect my goods from dust, the ills of this dumpsite weighs heavier than its benefits, a week of this place not cleared becomes a nightmare.”
According to a research carried out in 2024 by Esref Demir and Sam Kacew in the field of Environmental health and toxicology at Antalya Bilim University, land pollution has serious consequences often hidden effects on human health; land pollution from waste and poor sanitation can promote diseases such as Tetanus, Cholera, skin diseases, respiratory issues from dust such as breathing difficulties, lung irritation and worsening of asthma.
Maryam Aliyu, a resident of the area laments how she struggles with various skin diseases as she said “I often experience allergies, I am constantly on medication and my husband spends a lot of money to get them as my skin produces excruciating rashes due to the contaminated environment.”
“Diarrhea is now a regular sickness for us in this household, if it’s not me then it’s one of my kids.” Safiya Jafar lamented.
Studies by Zheng et al (2023) and McHenry et al (2022) have shown that long – term exposure to contaminated soil is linked to developmental issues in children and weakened immune systems and hinder cognitive development, with effects that may remain hidden until later in life.
A lot of businesses have slowed down in the area due to the menacing pollution, Abdulganiyu Muhammad recounts how environmental pollution has cost him several customers over the years.
“Most of my customers don’t like coming to my shop, I can’t display my new products because nobody will see it, people don’t pass by my shop anymore.”
In 2023, the state government through the then commissioner of environment, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso noted that there are 52 legal dumping sites across the metropolis and refuses are being evacuated from the site daily.
However in an interview with the Director Special Duties of the Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) Muhammad Sidi Abubakar, he said the state currently has 107 legal dumping sites which are under the state’s control adding that Sheka Yarkasuwa is among the waste dump sites.
“We are aware of the dumping site in Sheka Yar kasuwa, it is truly disturbing how the site is always full, we try our best to clear up the site regularly.
“The management is looking to reintroduce waste buckets in these dumping areas to curb the menace of uncontrolled environmental pollution.”
“We have introduced private waste collectors in various areas who go round collecting waste disposals from houses and get paid on a monthly basis, the truth is that this system is only plausible in government residential areas as residents of places like Sheka Yar Kasuwa cannot afford such expenses, they can only pay the young boys who collect waste in carts for small amount of money.”
Sidi added that “the management currently has limited resources to produce the waste disposal skips in sufficient numbers which is why they make use of their fabrication plant to recycle the old one.”
“These waste disposal skips are big enough to contain as much waste as possible.”
He also stressed on the need for community engagement to foster proper orientation of waste disposal procedures among community members.
Annur Abdulhamid, a 20 year old resident who was born and brought up in Sheka Yar Kasuwa narrates how his father struggles to keep his vehicle safe in a different location away from their home as the area has become too congested to contain vehicles.
“I grew up to this waste dumping site, it was not always like this, the road has been blocked completely.
“My father has to go through the stress of securing a place to park his car everyday, this place is a hideous sight during the rainy season as drainages are blocked and the water remains stagnant.”
For residents, the issue goes beyond poor sanitation, it is a daily struggle that threatens their health, dignity, and quality of life, underscoring the urgent need for government intervention.
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