Thirteen illegal miners have been confirmed dead after a mining pit collapsed in Kadauri village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said on Sunday that Federal Mines Officers had been deployed to lead rescue efforts at the site. Two other miners remain trapped under the rubble.
According to a statement by Segun Tomori, media aide to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, the collapse was caused by heavy rainfall and worsened by unsafe activities of illegal miners.
Alake, reacting to the incident, described the deaths as avoidable. He said ministry officials were working with Zamfara State authorities on rescue operations, after which the site would be sealed.
“I received with deep shock the report of the unfortunate incident in Zamfara, which has unfortunately resulted in some casualties. Our first responders have been mobilised to the site and are working with officials of the state government on rescue operations,” the minister said.
Preliminary investigations showed that the area, rich in traces of gold, attracted illegal miners who rushed to the site with crude tools, ignoring safety risks.
The ministry recalled that over the past year, its mining marshals had arrested more than 300 illegal miners across 10 states and the FCT, and sealed 98 illegal sites. It said Zamfara posed a unique challenge due to years of insecurity but assured that the Federal Government was tackling the issue with ongoing military operations.
Alake noted that satellite surveillance systems were being installed to monitor mining sites in real time and curb illegal activities.
“We will not relent until we rid this country of the nefarious activities of illegal miners. With satellite surveillance and other enforcement measures underway, we aim to drastically reduce mine collapses across the country and tighten the noose around sponsors of illegal mining,” he said.
