A tragic mining accident in Kadauri village, located in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, has left thirteen people dead and others trapped underground after a pit collapsed on Thursday.
The disaster struck as artisanal miners were working deep inside the site, which is known for its informal mining activities.
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed reports suggesting that over 100 people were killed in the recent mining pit collapse in Jabaka village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, clarified that 13 bodies have so far been recovered from the site—not more than 100, as initially reported by some media outlets and local residents.
“The collapse, caused by heavy rainfall and worsened by the unsafe practices of illegal miners, trapped at least 15 itinerant workers. Thirteen have been confirmed dead, with no survivors. Recovery operations are ongoing for the remaining two,” the statement read.
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Minister Alake described the incident as “tragic and entirely preventable,” noting that illegal miners had descended on the site using crude tools after discovering gold, with little regard for environmental or safety standards.
He condemned the unlawful mining activity and reiterated the government’s commitment to cracking down on such operations.
“We will intensify our crackdown on illegal mining using advanced tools like satellite monitoring and stricter law enforcement. Our resolve is clear: we will not allow illegal miners to continue endangering lives and plundering national resources,” Alake declared.
The ministry also confirmed that a full investigation into the collapse is underway and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on illegal mining, warning that those found culpable will face the full force of the law.
