The area where the collapse occurred is also known to be affected by banditry and related criminal activities.
At least 10 miners have been confirmed dead and five others injured following the collapse of an illegal mining site in Kadauri village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The incident, which occurred after constant rains made the site unstable, is attributed to a failure by the miners and their managers to take necessary precautionary measures.
A source on the ground indicated that the death toll could rise.
“So far, ten bodies have been recovered from the rubble. The injured have been moved to a nearby medical facility for treatment,” he said.
The area where the collapse occurred is also known to be affected by banditry and related criminal activities.
It was confirmed that all the victims were engaged in illegal mining activities at the site.
The collapse is attributed to a failure to take necessary safety precautions after constant rains destabilised the ground.
A local source warned that more persons might have been affected as recovery efforts continued.
In a related develoment, SaharaReporters during the week had reported that the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, described the treatment of residents at the Marrarabar Yauri gold mining site as “slave-like,” following clashes between foreign and local miners that left one person dead and caused widespread property damage.
The violence erupted last Saturday when a miner was reportedly killed during a dispute over gold.
In retaliation, the victim’s relatives launched a counterattack the following day, leading to widespread violence in the community.
Eyewitnesses reported that shops were vandalised, motorcycles set ablaze, and residents fled for safety.
In response to the unrest, the Yauri Local Government Council imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, effective from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., to restore calm.
Security operatives have since intensified patrols in the area to enforce the curfew and prevent further violence.
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