ASHENEWS reports that about 30 miners are still trapped in a mining pit after it collapsed in the Galadiman Kogo community in Shiroro local government area of Niger state.
Shiroro local government area of Niger state is one of the areas worse affected by the activities of bandits and Boko Haram elements.
One person has been confirmed dead while six others were rescued with severe injuries following the incident which occurred on Monday evening.
Confirming the incident, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, in a statement said that the miners were working for a company identified as African Minerals and logistics limited.
The statement by NSEMA which attributed the pit collapse to rainfall said that rescue operations have been difficult due to the impact of rain in the area.
“Due to the unacceptable nature of that environment as a result of banditry, the information of the incident is very scanty, including rescue operations,” the statement said.
This online platform reports that the Niger state government has since banned illegal mining activities in all areas of the state.
The Niger state governor, Mohammed Bago had repeatedly identified mining as a contributing factor to the insecurity in some parts of the state.
Speaking when he met with a delegation from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in September, Bago described illegal mining as symbiotic to banditry.
“Out of the 25 local government areas in Niger state, 16 are ravaged by banditry and extremist activities A lot of illegal mining ranging from lithium to gold is happening. This is symbiotic to banditry,” he said.
