No fewer than 37 people were reportedly choked to death after toxic gas leaked from a mining site in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, sparking renewed concerns over unsafe mining practices and regulation in the area.
The Wase Youth Leader, Shafi Sambo, said he received an early-morning call alerting him to the tragedy because of his position as the youth leader of the area.
“It happened at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government. We got information that the miners dug deep into the ground and were exposed to a gas that killed 37 of them instantly,” Sambo said in a phone interview.
He stated that several other miners were rescued alive and rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention, though the exact number of survivors remains unclear as of press time.
Sambo disclosed that the youths were mining zinc on behalf of a company said to be a Chinese-owned mining firm operating in the area. The nature of the mineral being mined was not immediately confirmed.
Following the incident, troops of the Nigerian Army were deployed to the site. According to the youth leader, the soldiers cordoned off the area to prevent further access and possible exposure, as well as to control the situation.
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“The army has since gone there and cordoned off the place to stop people from having access and also to stop the spread,” Sambo said.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the state government were unsuccessful.
Multiple calls to the Plateau State Commissioner for Environment, Peter Gwom, and the Local Government chairman, Hamisu Anani, were neither picked up nor returned as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has reignited public concern over artisanal and company-backed mining activities, especially in rural communities where safety standards, environmental oversight, and emergency preparedness are often weak.
Residents are now calling on the Plateau State Government and relevant federal agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly, ensure accountability, and enforce stricter safety regulations to prevent future loss of lives.
Newexpressngr.com
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