A mining pit collapse in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State, resulted in the tragic deaths of three artisanal miners, with 11 others sustaining injuries.
An eyewitness, who works in the vicinity, reported that the incident occurred on Thursday at approximately 4 pm.
Speaking on conditions of anonymity due to security concerns, the eyewitness informed newsmen on Saturday that three artisanal miners lost their lives, while 11 others sustained critical injuries. The injured individuals are currently undergoing treatment at Anka General Hospital.
“The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 pm on Thursday, we don’t know the exact number of people inside the mining pit, but three dead bodies were recovered, and 11 others are seriously wounded.”
“The three people that died are from Yar Tsabaya district of Anka local government. Up till now, we don’t have the actual figure of the people inside, and we cannot confirm the number of people because the mining pit is about 275 meters deep,” he stated.
Zamfara boasts abundant solid minerals, including gold, iron ore, limestone, and granite, among others.
Both the Federal Government and the state government have prohibited all forms of mining activities, instructing security agencies to enforce the ban.
Many of the artisanal miners in the state are conducting operations without the necessary licenses and permissions for mineral exploration.