A mining pit collapsed at an illegal gold mining site within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which spans Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State, likely killing at least 22 miners.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred in the Buffa zone, an area popular with illegal miners despite its location within a protected game reserve.
An eyewitness disclosed that most of the victims hail from Jamtare town in Gashaka LGA. “They were mining gold in Buffa, a risky area within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park. All 22 miners trapped in the pit are presumed dead,” he said, as reported by the Daily Trust.
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Engineer Suleiman Toungo, Chairman of Toungo LGA, confirmed that five bodies had been recovered, although the total number of casualties remains unclear.
He noted that the miners, drawn from various states, including Zamfara and Adamawa, had been working illegally, often under the cover of night to evade park rangers.
The Gashaka-Gumti National Park, known for its rich mineral deposits, has been the site of multiple fatalities over recent years due to unregulated mining. Despite frequent ranger patrols, illegal mining persists, posing ongoing safety risks to those involved.
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A resident from Tila village, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted that approximately 70 miners lost their lives in similar incidents last year, though many of these cases went unreported.
Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed recent fatalities from separate pit collapses in the area.
In one incident, four miners died, while in another, two were confirmed dead and four others were injured. SP Nguroje stated that the police are working with park authorities to locate and apprehend those involved in illegal mining.