Unlawful mining is a widespread situation in Nigeria, the place operations lack each authorities oversight and security protocols.
Printed On 19 Feb 2026
At the least 37 miners have died from carbon monoxide poisoning at a mining website in central Nigeria, the Reuters information company experiences.
The lethal incident, which came about on Wednesday morning within the Kampani group within the Wase space of Plateau State, additionally resulted within the hospitalisation of 25 folks, Reuters stated, citing a police supply and a safety report the information company obtained.
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Authorities officers recognized the situation as a dormant lead mine the place amassed minerals had launched deadly fumes.
The Plateau State authorities stated many have been feared useless with out offering an actual determine, including that others have been receiving remedy in close by hospitals.
Safety forces have cordoned off the positioning to stop additional entry.
Nigeria’s Minister of Stable Minerals Dele Alake stated that the accident occurred when native villagers, unaware of the poisonous nature of the emissions, reportedly entered the tunnel to extract minerals and inhaled the fuel.
Unlawful mining stays a widespread concern in Nigeria, the place extractive operations often lack each authorities oversight and fundamental security protocols.
The federal authorities in Nigeria has ordered a right away suspension of all mining actions in areas close to the accident website to permit for a complete investigation, Reuters stated.
Plateau State is a historic mining area, with its capital, Jos, referred to as the Tin Metropolis, although mining actions have slowed in recent times.
A number of comparable accidents have killed miners in Nigeria beforehand, together with no less than 18 folks killed final yr in Zamfara State within the northwest of the nation after a boulder crashed onto an unlawful mine throughout heavy rains.
The pursuit of mineral wealth throughout the African continent continues to be shadowed by a recurring cycle of mining disasters, as latest tragedies spotlight the persistent risks of each authorized and irregulated operations.
An estimated 200 people were killed in a collapse on the Rubaya coltan mine in japanese Democratic Republic of the Congo final month.
The mine, situated some 60km (37 miles) northwest of Goma metropolis, the provincial capital of North Kivu province, collapsed after a landslide.
Rubaya produces about 15 p.c of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metallic that’s in excessive demand by makers of cell phones, computer systems, aerospace parts and fuel generators.
