Four women have reportedly lost their lives in Bauchi State as a mining pit collapsed in the Gudum Sayawa suburb of Bauchi metropolis, while several others sustained injuries at the site located 800 meters from the community.
OsunDailyNG learned that villagers visit the mining site on a daily basis to mine different minerals, such as monoxide, zaicon and other precious stones for transaction with other business communities as a means of survival.
According to eyewitnesses, the cave collapse which occured last week, claimed the lives of three women instantly, while one succumbed to injuries a week later at the hospital.
The witnesses said that the women couldn’t escape the cave site in time, leading to their tragic death.
OsunDailyNG reports that the devastating incident was not the first of its kind as a similar incident occurred in 2023 at a mining site in Bar Kudu, Bogoro Local Government, resulting in the deaths of three women with several others injured.
A community leader, Daniel Iliya, who is the Galadima of Gudum Sayawa, confirmed the incident to OsunDailyNG on Tuesday.
He said the women were unable to escape from the site at the time the incident occured.
This, is, as he called on the government to access the mining site to avert further deaths.
“We need government to come and assess the mining site to see if it is safe for artisanal miners to work there, so we don’t lose our villagers again, If that is done, it will reduce the risks associated with mining operations.”
He stated further that the removal of fuel subsidy had compelled the villagers to engage in unregulated mining activities in the area, adding that the villagers have been cautioned about the mining site.
“We told them to be on alert so that if they sense any danger, they should leave immediately,” he said.
Two survivors of the tragedy, Mathias Mamaki and his mother, while giving an account of the incident, said the high level of poverty was a major reason that pushed hundreds of people to the mining site to dig up monoxide, so as to earn a living.
