Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - The Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Communities has raised an alarm over the growing frequency of fatal mining accidents in the country, following the collapse of a mine pit in Jabaka village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, which claimed 13 lives and left two others unaccounted for.
In a statement jointly signed by its Co-Chairs, Temitope
Olaifa and Alhaji Abubakar Wushishi, on Tuesday, the federation described the
tragedy as another avoidable disaster caused by negligence and weak regulatory
oversight in Nigeria’s mining sector.
The Federal Government had confirmed the incident on Sunday
through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, which disclosed that
federal mines officers had been dispatched to coordinate rescue operations.
According to the ministry, the collapse was triggered by heavy rainfall and
worsened by illegal mining activities in the area. At least 15 itinerant miners
were trapped when the pit gave way, with only lifeless bodies recovered.
“The collapse, triggered by heavy rainfall and aggravated by
the unlawful activities of illegal miners, trapped at least 15 mine workers.
Thirteen of them have been recovered, tragically with no
survivors,” the ministry’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, said in a
statement.
While extending condolences to the bereaved families, the
FNMHC emphasized that the Jabaka disaster highlights the daily dangers faced by
residents of mineral-rich host communities across Nigeria. The group insisted
that the deaths could have been prevented had authorities and operators adhered
strictly to safety standards.
“This preventable incident is yet another outcome of
negligence, poor oversight, and the failure to apply proper safety measures,”
the federation said. “These lapses continue to put lives at risk and must no
longer be tolerated.”
The group drew attention to a worrying trend of repeated
mining pit collapses nationwide. In August, a similar accident in Ihetutu, Ivo
Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, left two miners dead. Just two months
earlier, another pit caved in at Bazakwoi, Paikoro Local Government Area of
Niger State, killing three and injuring one.
“These recurring tragedies underscore the urgent need for
stricter enforcement of mining safety standards, accountability from operators,
and stronger regulatory oversight,” the federation stressed.
Although the FNMHC commended the Ministry of Solid Minerals,
emergency responders, and local volunteers for their rescue efforts in Zamfara,
it maintained that reactionary measures were not enough. Instead, it urged
systemic reforms to prevent such tragedies.
“The lives and welfare of host communities must always be
placed above profit,” the group said. “Mining activities must be conducted with
strict adherence to safety protocols, environmental protection, and respect for
human rights.”
The federation therefore demanded an immediate investigation
into the Jabaka collapse, strict enforcement of safety standards across mining
operations, rehabilitation of abandoned or unsafe mining sites, and increased
funding for the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committees to
boost monitoring and enforcement.
It further called for stronger inclusion of host
communities, particularly women, in decision-making around natural resource
governance.
Nigeria’s mining sector has witnessed rapid growth in
artisanal and small-scale mining in recent years, often carried out with
minimal regard for safety or environmental rules. Analysts note that poor
regulatory oversight, weak enforcement of laws, and the lure of quick profits
have fueled repeated accidents, leaving host communities to bear the brunt of
the consequences.
The FNMHC pledged to continue advocating for ethical and
community-centred mining practices, while standing in solidarity with the
people of Jabaka and families of those affected.
“We will not relent until Nigeria’s mining sector is made
safer, more transparent, and more accountable to the people who live in and
around these host communities,” the federation declared.
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