AT least 22 miners are believed to be dead after a collapse at an illegal mining site within a national game reserve that spans the Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and the Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State.
A miner from Gashaka, Adamu Jamtare, shared that many of the victims hailed from Jamtare town in Gashaka LGA.
“They were extracting gold in an area known as the Buffa zone within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which covers parts of both Gashaka and Toungo. All 22 miners trapped in the pit are thought to be dead,” he stated.
The Chairman of Toungo LGA, Engineer Suleiman Toungo, confirmed that five miners have been recovered, but he was unsure of how many remained buried.
He noted that the incident, involving miners from various states including Zamfara and Adamawa, occurred nearly a month ago.
Although the area is monitored by rangers, illegal mining operations persist, frequently taking place covertly at night. “Five bodies have been retrieved so far,” he mentioned.
The national game reserve, known for its mineral wealth, has experienced multiple fatalities in recent years due to unregulated mining activities.
A resident of Tila village, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that around 70 miners lost their lives in similar incidents last year, although these events have largely gone unreported.
Adamawa Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje also confirmed two recent incidents of fatalities from pit collapses.
He reported that, in one case, four miners died, while another incident involved six miners, with two confirmed dead and four others injured.
SP Nguroje stated however that the police are working with the authorities of Gumti National Park to apprehend those engaged in illegal mining activities.
