At least 37 miners have died following a suspected toxic gas leak at a mining site in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria. The incident occurred in Kampani Zurak community within Wase Local Government Area during the early morning hours of February 18, when workers returned to the site after morning prayers and were overcome by deadly fumes inside a mining tunnel.
Eyewitnesses described the tragedy as sudden and devastating. Miners who had been alive and well just hours earlier succumbed quickly to carbon monoxide that had accumulated in the underground tunnel. More than 20 others sustained injuries and were rushed to hospitals in Wase town for emergency treatment. Some survivors were rescued alive from the site and transported to nearby medical facilities.
Conflicting Death Toll Reports
The exact number of casualties remains unclear due to conflicting reports from different sources. While local youth leader Shafi Sambo confirmed 37 deaths, other community sources and survivors claim the death toll reached 38. Government officials, however, stated that approximately 33 people were trapped in the tunnel. These discrepancies highlight the confusion and difficulty in accounting for all victims at the chaotic scene.
Details of the Incident
The miners were working in an area covered by Mining Licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China. According to local sources, the victims were extracting zinc on behalf of what is believed to be a Chinese-owned company, though the ownership structure could not be independently verified.
One miner in the community, Safiyanu Haruna, explained that the incident happened shortly after dawn. The workers had left the site around 5:30 in the morning to observe their morning prayers and returned to find themselves trapped by the accumulated gas. There was no immediate rescue because workers scheduled to arrive later in the morning had not yet reached the site.
Community resident Joseph Ogah described the horrifying scene. Workers were performing their duties one moment, and the next there were cries as people began collapsing. He noted that some people remained unaccounted for following the disaster.
Government Response and Investigation
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, immediately ordered the closure of the mining site and dispatched a team of officials and investigators to probe the incident. The investigative team is led by Permanent Secretary Yusuf Yabo and includes experts in mining, environmental compliance, and artisanal cooperatives. The minister is coordinating the team and support services to ensure effective management of the situation.
In a condolence call to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Alake expressed his deep sorrow and solidarity with the people of Wase over the irreparable loss. He urged the governor to convey his sympathies to families who lost loved ones while trying to earn a living.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, also directed the immediate and total shutdown of all mining activities in the affected area pending investigation outcomes. He approved deployment of a high-powered team of environmental experts from Abuja to assess the situation in Wase.
Circumstances Leading to the Tragedy
Preliminary reports suggest the company had ceded the pit where the incident occurred to the local community for mining following agitations by villagers seeking economic empowerment. The area was an abandoned lead mining site where stored minerals are prone to emissions of sulphuric oxide. Community members reportedly engaged in extraction activities while unknowingly inhaling the poisonous gaseous substance.
Security forces, including the army, took control of the area and cordoned it off to prevent further access and stop the spread of contamination. The mining site is located between specific geographic coordinates: longitudes 10.34.45 and 10.35.50, and latitudes 9.13.45 and 9.14.40.
State Government Statement
The Plateau State Government received news of the tragedy with deep shock and profound sadness. Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, confirmed that many lives were feared lost while injured persons were receiving medical care.
The government extended heartfelt condolences to families who lost loved ones and said it was working closely with security agencies, emergency responders, and health authorities to secure the site, assist the injured, and prevent further casualties. Residents of Kampani Zurak and neighboring communities were urged to remain calm and law-abiding, while the public was cautioned against spreading unverified information that could heighten panic.
The incident has renewed concerns over safety standards, environmental compliance, and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s mining sector, particularly in rural areas where informal and semi-formal mining operations are common.
