Esther Salifu
At least 13 bodies have been recovered, and many more miners remain trapped underground following the collapse of a mining pit in Kadauri village, located in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred at an artisanal gold mining site, where over 100 miners were reportedly working when the pit caved in without warning.
Eyewitnesses and survivors described a scene of chaos and devastation, with many still feared buried under rubble as rescue efforts continue.
“I was inside the pit earlier, but I stepped out to drink water. Just a few minutes later, it collapsed,”
“There were more than 30 people inside at the time. Eleven bodies were evacuated while several others are still there.” Sani Hassan, a miner who narrowly escaped death said .
Another local resident and rescuer, Sanusi Auwal, told Reuters that 13 bodies had so far been recovered from the site, including that of his cousin.
“Over 100 miners were involved during the collapse,” Auwal said. “Only 15 of us were rescued. We are lucky to be alive.”
One of the injured survivors, Isa Sani, is currently receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the collapse.
An official of the Zamfara State Miners Association, Muhammadu Isa, confirmed the incident on Friday, but details about the total number of casualties remain unclear as rescue operations continue.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the state police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, could not be reached despite multiple calls.
Mining accidents have become increasingly frequent in Zamfara, where informal and unregulated mining activities are common due to the region’s rich gold deposits. Most artisanal miners work in dangerous conditions with little to no safety oversight.
Authorities have repeatedly been urged to enforce mining regulations and improve safety standards, but implementation remains poor in rural and remote communities like Kadauri.
Rescue efforts were still ongoing at press time, with local residents and volunteers continuing to dig through the collapsed pit in search of survivors.
