At least four persons have died after a mining site collapsed on them in Yadagungume community in Ningi local government area of Bauchi State on Saturday.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the illegal miners lost their lives over the weekend after the site caved in on them while digging deep to excavate lead.
An eyewitness, who pleaded for anonymity, said the artisanal miners had been working on the site for some months mining lead.
He confirmed to our Correspondent that the bodies of the four miners had been recovered from the collapsed site.
Confirming the incident, the caretaker chairman of Ningi local government area, Hon. Ibrahim Zubairu, said the four victims were trapped in the pit and later died.
Zubairu said that the illegal mining site is located at Kogo Kadage forest, seven kilometres away from Yadagungume town.
“Yesterday Saturday, I was informed that about four people were trapped in a mining pit, I directed that they should try and do something and later on, they reported back to me that they recovered three bodies.
“I didn’t know about the illegal activities on the site after we banned all sort of illegal mining in the local government. I was surprised when I got the report of the incident,” the interim LG chairman said.
He added that a committee has been constituted and tasked with the responsibilities of checkmating the illegal mining activities and land-related matters even as he directed the Burra Divisional Police Officer for supervision of the mining sites.
He warned residents to desist from illegal mining activities as government would not spare anyone caught in the act.
The LG chairman, who condoled with the families of the deceased victims, prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
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