The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has disclosed that the illegal stockpiling of explosives is responsible for the explosion that occurred at a mining site in Sabon Pegi in Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State.
Alake stated that investigations had fingered a resident of New Bussa, Yushua Maikampala, as the suspected stockpiler of the explosives.
Speaking via a statement yesterday, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Segun Tomori, said that Maikampala purchased and stored explosives and their accessories in a house at Sabo Pegi in Mashegun Local Government Area.
According to Tomori, an eyewitness recounted that the explosion was triggered by an electrical spark around 7 a.m. on Sunday, leading to the destruction of the building where the explosives were stored. The explosion also damaged approximately 20 other houses in the vicinity.
Alake condoled with the victims, describing the incident as avoidable, given the negligence surrounding the handling and illegal storage of explosives by the suspected stockpiler.
The minister directed relevant ministry officials, including the Mines Inspectorate Department, to carry out forensic analysis of soil samples collected from the blast site to determine the source of the explosives, which would guide the next course of the investigation and other necessary actions.
“Security agencies have been put on the trail of the suspected culprit. He will be apprehended to face justice,” he said.
Alake stressed that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that mining operators adhere to strict environmental and safety standards to avert a recurrence of the unfortunate incident.
