A tragic mining disaster has struck Kadauri village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where at least 13 people have been confirmed dead and many others remain trapped following the collapse of a gold mining pit on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred without warning as dozens of artisanal miners were working underground. Sani Hassan, one of the survivors, recounted how he narrowly escaped death after stepping out of the pit moments before it caved in.
“I was digging for gold with my colleagues, but I came out to drink water. Just a few minutes after I left, the pit collapsed and buried those still inside,” Hassan told Saturday PUNCH. “There were more than 30 people in the pit. Eleven bodies were pulled out initially, but several others are still buried beneath.”
Local residents immediately launched rescue operations to save those trapped. One of them, Sanusi Auwal, said at least 13 bodies had been recovered, including that of his cousin. “Over 100 miners were inside when it collapsed,” Auwal revealed.
Another survivor, Isa Sani, who is receiving medical treatment for injuries, described the chaos that followed. “We are lucky to be alive. Out of more than 100 people, only 15 of us were rescued,” he said.
The Zamfara State Miners Association confirmed the incident through one of its officials, Muhammadu Isa, on Friday. However, efforts to reach the state police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.
Mining accidents are common in Zamfara, where artisanal gold mining thrives but often operates without safety measures. The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over unsafe mining practices and the urgent need for government intervention to regulate the sector and protect workers.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, but officials fear the death toll could rise as more bodies may still be trapped beneath the collapsed debris.
