At least seven of the mine workers trapped in the rubble of the collapsed mining site operated by African Minerals and Logistics Ltd in Galadima Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State have been rescued.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake in a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori and the Director-General of the of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah.
Alake, said Federal Government mobilised first responders to the scene of the collapsed mining site in Galadima Kogo and seven miners have so far been rescued while rescue operations continue.
He disclosed that the swift action of the Federal Government underscores its commitment to mitigating the adverse impact of the incident and rescuing those still trapped in the rubble.
“Upon learning of the incident, we mobilised our Federal Mines Officer (FMO) and officials of the Mines Inspectorate to the site. In collaboration with the mining company, we have rescued seven victims, some with injuries. Rescue operations with excavators are ongoing to ensure we avert loss of lives,” Alake added.
The Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, (NSEMA), who spoke in Minna on Tuesday, also confirmed that the incident occurred on June 3. He added that the agency received a report of a mining site collapse at Galkogo village of Shiroro.
Baba-Arah attributed the cause of the mining site collapse to impacts of heavy rainfall on the soil. He expressed concerns that the rescuers ran for safety from the site because the site kept falling.
It would be recalled that the Minister recently announced a policy making remedial measures for mining pits mandatory as part of the criteria for applying for mining licenses. This aims to minimize such accidents.
Meanwhile, Alake has assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s resolve to investigate the remote causes of the disaster to prevent a recurrence.
