A tragic mining accident has claimed at least eight lives after a pit collapsed at an illegal mining site in Jabaka, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Witnesses said the miners were working inside the pit on yesterday morning when the ground suddenly gave way, burying several workers under tons of rubble. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. and left the community in shock.
Local sources confirmed on Friday that the Commander of the Anti-Illegal Mining Unit quickly mobilised a rescue team to the scene.
After hours of digging through the debris, eight bodies were pulled out, while several others were rescued alive but with serious injuries.
“We were able to recover the bodies of eight victims and rushed the survivors to the hospital. Sadly, more people are still trapped underground,” a rescue official told reporters.
The victims and injured miners were immediately taken to the General Hospital in Maru, where doctors are battling to stabilise those with life-threatening injuries.
Health workers say the hospital is already overwhelmed due to the number of casualties brought in.
Meanwhile, rescue operations are still ongoing as authorities fear that more bodies could be recovered from the collapsed site.
“This is not the first time such an incident has happened in Zamfara. Illegal mining remains a major risk to lives, and urgent measures are needed to stop it,” a security analyst warned.
Illegal mining has long been a dangerous but common practice in Zamfara State, where unregulated mining pits often expose workers to fatal accidents.
Community leaders have now renewed calls for stronger government intervention to protect lives and address the growing menace.