Four individuals have been confirmed dead while some others are still trapped after an illegal mining site collapsed in Dura community of Jos South local government area of Plateau State.
According to eyewitnesses, the tragic incident occured on Thursday night after youths in the area defied several warnings by the state government against engaging in illegal mining and sneaked into the site when local vigilantes who helped secure the mining site had closed for the day.
A resident of the community who narrated how the accident happened on conditions of anonymity, said so far, four bodies have been recovered from the collapsed mine while frantic search is currently ongoing to either rescue the trapped miners or more bodies.
“We had a tragic situation in Dura community. A mining site collapsed last night. I don’t know the casualty figure, but I can confirm to you that some people were inside the pit,” the resident said while responding to a question.
An aide to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Artisanal Mining, Solomon Dung, who also spoke on the collapsed mine, said he got information on Friday after that the mine collapsed on Thursday when some community youths were engaging in illegal mining at the site.
“It happened yesterday (Thursday) at Dura community. From what I was told, some boys were working in a mining pit, and the ground just collapsed on four of them.
“Three d!ed instantly, and one other person was taken to the hospital, and unfortunately, he also d!ed. I am just going to the community as I speak to you,” Dung said.
