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At least 15 dead and 50 people trapped after the collapse of a gold mine in Nigeria
Lagos. – At least 15 people died and 50 others were trapped after the collapse of a gold mine in northwestern Nigeria, confirmed this Friday the Association of Small Miners of Nigeria.
The tragedy occurred this Thursday in the Maru area, in Zamfara state, located in the northwest of the African country.
“Yes, so far 15 miners have been rescued from the rubble, while more than 50 are still trapped. It is very sad that the mine collapsed while people were working there”, declared by telephone Ibrahim Kolo, a member of the section of the Association of Small Miners of Nigeria in Zamfara.
“About 90 miners were at the site (…) when it collapsed. More than 16 miners have been rescued,” said Kolo, who added that emergency teams are still working in the mine to rescue other trapped miners.
Another member of the association, Mustapha Aliu, indicated that three of his colleagues are still trapped in the pit.
“It’s a tragedy. I haven’t slept since yesterday’s accident. Only Allah knows why it happened. More bodies were recovered yesterday and this morning. I pray that my three friends, among the many trapped, are rescued,” Aliu told EFE by phone.
Yazidi Abubabar, spokesman for the state police, did not respond to EFE’s request for comment on the incident.
Armed gangs, locally known as “bandits”, control numerous illegal mining sites in Zamfara, using the profits to finance violence and kidnappings in this state ravaged by their attacks.
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