Following reports of 37 locals dying from poisonous gas inhalation during artisanal mining operations in Plateau State, the federal government has ordered the immediate closure of the mining location.
It was gathered that 25 additional people were admitted to the hospital following exposure to suspected carbon monoxide at the mining facility in Zurak, which is situated in the Wase Local Government Area, via a post made on X by security analyst Zagazola Makama on Wednesday.
The report claims that the fatalities, who were primarily young men between the ages of 20 and 35, were inhaling hazardous gases that were thought to have collected in poorly ventilated tunnels while they were doing ordinary underground mining activities.
Following the incident, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, directed that all activities within Mining Licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited, be suspended after the tragedy in the Zurak community of Wase LGA.
The licence, owned by Abdullahi Dan-China, lies between longitudes 10.34.45 and 10.35.50 and latitudes 9.13.45 and 9.14.40.
The minister gave the directives in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Segun Tomori, in Abuja.
Tomori said the minister was on a condolence call to the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, where he expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and described the victims as “innocent citizens trying to earn a living.”
A high-level inquiry team headed by Yusuf Yabo, the ministry’s permanent secretary, has also been sent by the minister to identify the incident’s immediate and distant causes and suggest appropriate measures.
The statement claims that the team consists of specialists in artisanal and small-scale mining cooperatives, environmental compliance, and mining.
According to preliminary results, the firm allegedly gave the host community the abandoned hole after residents protested for empowerment and economic prospects.
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