Tragedy struck on Monday evening in Budu village, Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, as five women, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives following the collapse of an illegal mining pit.
The fatal incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m., when the pit caved in while the women were reportedly digging for mineral resources in the area. The victims were immediately trapped under the debris, prompting alarm from villagers who rushed to the site to rescue them.
Eyewitnesses said that local volunteers and security operatives were able to recover the bodies after hours of digging through the collapsed section of the mining pit.
Those who died in the accident were identified as:
-Tani Abubakar (pregnant)
-Farida Mustapha
-Farida Sule
-Khadijat Abdullahi
-Zainab Usman
All the victims were said to be residents of Budu and Panbi villages, both within the Paikoro area.
One of the eyewitnesses at the scene described the moment the pit collapsed:
“It happened so fast. The women were inside the pit when suddenly it started shaking and came down.”
Following the recovery, the bodies were taken to the General Hospital in Paiko, where medical personnel confirmed them dead on arrival. The corpses have since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue.
Security personnel who visited the site have begun an investigation into the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that the mining activity was illegal, with no safety measures or formal supervision in place.
A community leader in Budu, who spoke under anonymity, expressed concern over the growing number of unregulated mining activities in the area.
“We have been warning people about the danger of going into these pits without protection or proper equipment, but poverty keeps pushing many to these risky jobs,” he said.
The Niger State Government and relevant authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but local sources confirm that efforts are ongoing to identify those behind the illegal mining operations in the area.
Illegal mining has become widespread in several parts of Nigeria, especially in the North, where economic hardship drives residents to engage in unregulated mineral exploration. However, these activities often lead to environmental hazards and tragic accidents, including mine collapses and landslides.
Local leaders and security agencies are urging residents of Paikoro and neighbouring areas to avoid unapproved mining operations and report suspicious activities to authorities. They also appealed to the Niger State Government to provide safer, alternative livelihoods for rural dwellers who depend on mining to survive.
