Seven Miners Die in Plateau State Pit Collapse

On Wednesday, seven miners lost their lives in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State when a mining pit collapsed. This incident follows a similar tragedy in February at Kampani Zurak in Wase Local Government Area, where 37 miners died.

Kayode Fayemi, a former Minister of Solid Minerals under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, stated that the February incident could have been prevented if the site had remained sealed after being shut down by the federal government in 2017. Illegal mining continues to thrive across Nigeria, particularly in northern states, driven by hunger and desperation.

The House of Representatives' ad hoc committee on illegal mining estimated that unregulated mining operations cost the country $9 billion annually. Zamfara State is identified as the center of illegal mining, where armed gangs control gold fields, leading to violence and accidents.

Mustapha Kaura, a government spokesman, noted that around 20,000 illegal miners operate in Zamfara, raising concerns about further collapses due to excessive rainfall.