At least 22 miners were feared dead after a mining pit collapsed at an illegal mining site in the Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State, which borders Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State.
The collapse occurred in the Buffa zone of the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, an area known for its gold deposits.
Adamu Jamtare, a miner from the Gashaka region, revealed that many of the victims were from Jamtare town.
“The miners were extracting gold when the pit caved in, trapping all 22 inside. They are presumed to be dead,” he said.
The Chairman of Toungo LGA, Engineer Suleiman Toungo, confirmed the death of five miners, although he was unsure of the exact number still buried under the rubble.
He added that the incident occurred nearly a month ago, with the miners coming from various states including Zamfara and Adamawa.
Despite the presence of rangers in the area, illegal mining activities continue, often carried out secretly during the night.
“So far, five bodies have been recovered, but many others remain trapped,” said Toungo.
The Gashaka-Gumti National Park, known for its rich mineral resources, has seen a rising number of fatalities due to unregulated mining.
A resident of Tila village, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that around 70 miners lost their lives in similar accidents last year, although these incidents were largely unreported.
The Adamawa Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed two recent fatal pit collapses in the region.
In one of the incidents, four miners died, while in another, two were killed and four were injured.
The police are working with officials from the Gumti National Park to track down and arrest those involved in the illegal mining operations.
