Nigerian rescuers are working to free approximately 30 miners trapped in an artisanal mining pit collapse following heavy rains, an emergency official reported Wednesday.
The miners, employed by a local mining company, were working late Sunday in a large pit in the village of Galkogo, Shiroro district, when it collapsed, according to Abdullahi Baba Ara, head of the Niger state relief agency.
“From the information available to us more than 30 miners are trapped in the pit which collapsed on them as they were working inside,” Ara said.
The exact number of trapped miners remains unclear, and rescue efforts are being hindered by the presence of heavily armed criminal gangs, known locally as bandits.
The area is known for mining minerals like gold, tantalite, and lithium. Rescue operations are also facing challenges due to limited equipment and difficult terrain.
“We had planned to deploy to the area, but we were advised against it by security personnel due to the insecure nature of the area as a result of the presence of bandits,” Ara explained.
Shiroro is one of several districts in Niger state plagued by bandit attacks, where remote villages are raided, homes looted and burned, and residents kidnapped for ransom.
Last year, the Niger state government banned mining activities in Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi districts due to insecurity and safety concerns. However, artisanal miners have ignored the ban, continuing to mine to earn money for food and other essentials after bandit raids displaced many from their homes and farmlands.
