ASHENEWS reports that two young artisanal miners, Zubairu Ibrahim and Sadiq Ibrahim have died when a mine collapsed over them while they were in the search for solid minerals.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Kakaki village located in Butu in Paiko local government area of Niger state. The deceased were brothers ages 20 and 25 years.
Recounting the incident, the father of the victims, Mallam Zubairu Ibrahim said that his sons left home without informing him adding that he did not know they were going to the mining site to dig for solid minerals. He tearfully recounted that he only realized their absence in the night and sent villagers to search for them.
Ibrahim said that the search for the boys ended in tragedy when their bodies were found buried beneath collapsed soil at the riverbank stating that no one knew that the mine had collapsed.
During a condolence visit and fact-finding mission to the village, the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources, led by its Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Yunusa Mohammed Nahauni, expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved family and the entire community.
He reminded the community that the governor’s order suspending mining activities in the state, particularly illegal mining, remained in effect. He stressed that any violations of this directive would be met with strict legal consequences.
The team, which included ministry directors, the Niger State Miners Association caretaker chairman, and representatives from the Nigeria Union of Mines Workers (NUMW) noted that the visit was aimed to console the grieving community and uncover the circumstances leading to the fatal incident.
During the visit, the Permanent Secretary emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation into the accident and called for strengthened cooperation between the ministry and the village to ensure safety and prevent future tragedies.
However, the visit was not without challenges. The team of the Ministry encountered difficulties in accessing the mine site due to the transfer of aggression from the villagers to the team.
Tensions ran high as villagers initially mistook the ministry’s delegation for officials seeking to extort money, much like earlier visitors from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The villagers alleged that the NSCDC officials had allegedly demanded N25,000 from the grieving parents to fuel their vehicles, leaving the community feeling exploited during their time of sorrow.
The team from the Ministry of Mineral Resources faced the community’s anger, particularly from the youth and women, who believed they were there for similar reasons. However, through calm dialogue and reassurances from the Permanent Secretary and the Director of Mining, the situation was eventually diffused.
