A mining site has collapsed in Galkogo village of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger, killing one person and trapping more than 30 persons, the state Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, reported
“One person has been confirmed dead, six persons rescued with severe injuries, while more than 30 people are still being trapped,” the agency said
The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said in Minna on Tuesday that the incident occurred on June 3.
He said that the agency received report of a mining site collapse at Galkogo village of Shiroro.
Baba-Arah noted that the cause of the mining site collapsed was as a result of heavy rainfall impacts on the soil.
He expressed concerns that the rescuers ran for safety from the site because the it kept falling.
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He also noted that the agency is yet to get full details on rescue operations due to insecurity in the area.
He said that excavators have been deployed to the site for rescue operations.
He also said that the agency received report of persistent bandit attacks in Shiroro and Mashegu local government areas of the state.
He said that bandits had reportedly attacked Adogo Malam village on June 2 and kidnapped six persons.
He also said that the suspected bandits kidnapped more than 20 people and stole many cattles in Tunga Kawo, an adjoining community from Erena.
Recall that Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, in August suspended all forms of mining activities in the state with immediate effect.
Bago, who said the decision to stop mining was to enable the government profile all those involved in such businesses across the state and keep accurate record of their activities, however, set a monthly Internally Generated Revenue of N10bn or N120 bn annually.
Although it is believed that illegal mining especially of Gold was responsible for the high rate of insecurity in parts of the state, Bago while addressing the inaugural state Executive Council, said the administration would no longer tolerate the activities of illegal miners in the state.
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