The Zamfara State Government has confirmed that 10 people died in the mining pit collapse that occurred in Maru Local Government Area last Wednesday.
The Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Governor Dauda Lawal, Mustafa Kaura, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. He explained that officials from the state Ministry of Environment visited the site, where 10 bodies were recovered and one person rescued alive.
Kaura said the government has extended its condolences to the bereaved families, while urging the Federal Government to urgently clamp down on illegal mining activities in the state.
He expressed concern over the growing influx of illegal miners, warning that Zamfara faces more tragedies if decisive action is not taken.
“It is disheartening to note that there are over 20,000 illegal miners currently in the state searching for gold. The recent collapse in Maru is only the beginning, as excessive rainfall will likely trigger more pit collapses,” Kaura warned.
He further noted that the rise in illegal mining could also fuel insecurity, including banditry, as miners troop into the state from within and outside Nigeria.
The state government has directed the Maru Local Government Council to take inventory of the victims with a view to providing assistance to their families.
Meanwhile, earlier reports indicated that no fewer than 13 bodies had been recovered, with several others still feared trapped in the Kadauri village mining site.
