A heartbreaking tragedy has struck the Udege Mbeki community in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, as two young brothers drowned in a water-filled abandoned mining site operated by a Chinese firm, Kenyang Mining Company Limited.
The victims, Umar Muhammad, aged 7, and his older brother Ibrahim Muhammad, aged 9, were reported to have died on Thursday after accidentally falling into the flooded excavation site, commonly known as a paddock. The site, which was left open and unattended, had become a dangerous trap following recent heavy rainfall in the area.
According to community sources, the children were following their cousin to the site, where she had gone to wash clothes. It was during this visit that the two boys slipped into the water-filled pit and drowned before help could reach them.
The paddock where the children died was part of an old mining excavation area left unreclaimed by Kenyang Mining Company Limited. Locals have long expressed concern about the site’s condition, warning that its exposed nature posed a serious threat to both children and adults living nearby.
Dauda Kana, the Chairman of Afo Youth Mobility, a local youth advocacy group officially known as the Afo Youth Mentorship Initiative, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He directly blamed the mining company for failing to carry out reclamation of the area after years of extracting minerals from the site.
“This tragedy could have been avoided if the company had taken its responsibility seriously. The 50-meter setback should have been reclaimed long ago,” Kana said in a statement.
Kana revealed that this was not the first time the community had raised concerns about the company’s operations. On September 26, 2021, a Community Development Agreement (CDA) was signed between the Udege community and Kenyang Mining Company, outlining specific responsibilities of the company towards the safety and development of the host community.
However, due to continued neglect, Kana said Afo Youth Mobility and nine other groups filed a suit at the Nasarawa State High Court in Keffi, seeking legal interpretation and enforcement of the CDA. The case was presided over by Justice Rose G. Soji, who granted an interim injunction on November 19, 2024, stopping the company from continuing mining operations or interfering with the community pending the outcome of the case.
This legal move eventually led to an out-of-court settlement, and on March 4, 2025, the court issued a consent judgment that included legally binding conditions. These included:
– Submission of a detailed reclamation plan for the 50-meter setback within one year of any further excavation.
– Immediate start of reclamation work after regulatory approval.
– Stoppage of excavation in the Millionaire’s Quarters area within four years.
– Construction of a concrete fence to separate mining activities from residential zones, with a 40-meter buffer.
– Rehabilitation of the Udege Mbeki–Gada Hudu road.
– Provision of boreholes, electricity, a hospital, a school, and a police post at the community’s planned relocation site.
“The joy that came with the judgment has now turned to grief,” Kana lamented. “This tragic loss is a wake-up call. The company must start the reclamation work now before more lives are lost.”
Kana further urged the Nasarawa State Government to strengthen its monitoring of mining companies and ensure strict enforcement of the Nigerian Mining Act. He stressed that it is the duty of the government to protect communities from the dangers caused by unsafe mining practices.
“We are calling on the government to act quickly and ensure that Kenyang Mining Company and others like it fulfil their obligations. Our children are dying because of neglect,” he said.
Kana also warned that if Kenyang Mining Company continues to delay or ignore its responsibilities under the consent judgment, Afo Youth Mobility would not hesitate to return to court to enforce the agreement.
The deaths of Umar and Ibrahim have left the Udege Mbeki community in deep mourning. The children were buried the same day according to Islamic rites. Residents gathered to pay their respects and support the grieving family, with many expressing anger over the repeated warnings that went unheeded.
Udege Mbeki, an Afo-speaking community, has hosted Kenyang Mining Company for several years. Despite contributing to mineral extraction in the state, locals say the company has failed to give back in terms of safety, infrastructure, or proper compensation. The recent tragedy, they say, is the result of this ongoing disregard for community welfare.
This incident adds to the growing concerns around mining activities across Nigeria, where abandoned mining pits, often left unreclaimed by operators, continue to pose threats to rural communities. In states like Nasarawa, Zamfara, and Plateau, similar incidents have been reported, sparking calls for stronger regulation and better enforcement of environmental and safety laws.
Abandoned mining sites are a major problem in Nigeria. Many foreign and local companies carry out mining operations without fulfilling environmental obligations such as land reclamation, fencing of active sites, and proper closure of abandoned pits.
These pits often become death traps, especially for children, farmers, and herders who unknowingly wander into them. In the rainy season, the danger increases as the excavations fill with water, creating what looks like harmless ponds.
The Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 mandates mining companies to reclaim mined land, protect the environment, and provide support to host communities. However, enforcement remains weak in many areas due to limited government capacity and alleged corruption in regulatory agencies.
The tragic deaths of Umar and Ibrahim Muhammad highlight the urgent need for better regulation, corporate responsibility, and community safety. As their family mourns and the Udege Mbeki community seeks justice, many hope this incident will push both government and companies to take safety seriously and treat host communities with dignity.
Kana ended his statement with a plea for change: “We do not want to bury more of our children. Let this tragedy be the last. We need action, not more promises.”
