The federal government has confirmed the deaths of 13 miners following the collapse of a mine pit in Jabaka village, located in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The incident, which occurred last Thursday, left 15 miners trapped underground.
The confirmation came via a statement on Sunday from Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake.
In response, Minister Alake has ordered the immediate deployment of federal mines officers to lead rescue operations in coordination with state authorities. As of the latest update, two individuals remain trapped in the collapsed mine.
Describing the tragedy as “avoidable and unfortunate,” Alake expressed deep sorrow over the loss and emphasized that the mining site would be shut down once recovery operations conclude.
“I received with deep shock the report of the unfortunate incident in Zamfara, which has unfortunately resulted in some casualties. Our first responders have been mobilized to the site and are working with officials of the state government on rescue operations. Once recovery efforts are complete, the site will be sealed,” the minister stated.
