The Federal Government has confirmed the death of 13 miners in last Thursday’s mine pit collapse at Jabaka village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, only two of the 15 trapped miners remain unaccounted for as recovery efforts continue.
Dr. Alake described the tragedy as “avoidable and unfortunate,” while directing Federal Mines Officers to lead the rescue operations in collaboration with state officials. He further ordered that the site be sealed once recovery efforts are concluded.
“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 mobilized to the site and are working with state government officials on rescue operations, after which the site will be sealed off,” the Minister said.
Preliminary findings revealed that the collapsed site, known for its loose sandy soil and traces of gold, was being illegally exploited with rudimentary tools, despite the glaring environmental and safety risks.
The Minister recalled that in a bid to curb such unsafe practices, the government had launched the Mining Marshals initiative over a year ago. The operation has so far led to the arrest of more than 300 illegal miners across 10 states and the FCT, as well as the closure of 98 illegal mining sites nationwide.
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