AfriPulse
A mining pit in Enyim Agalegu community, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has collapsed, killing three persons and leaving four others injured.
The victims were said to be involved in mining activities at the site on Saturday when the pit caved in.
According to Channels Television, sources in the community said the injured victims were rushed for medical attention shortly after the incident.
The collapse occurred at a mining pit linked to a company where illegal mining was allegedly ongoing.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the National Chairman of the Enyim Agalegu Edukwu Opeke Federated Union, Oboke Chukwuma-Collins, said he received a distress call around 4 p.m. on Saturday.
According to him, the call alerted him that the pit had caved in on miners operating at the site.
“Well, it was yesterday afternoon, around 4 p.m., that I got a call that the place where people are engaged in illegal mining here has collapsed, and I rushed to this place,” he said.
He added that community members were immediately mobilised to the scene for rescue efforts.
“We evacuated some overburden on top of some lifeless people, like three of them, and we rescued about four that were injured,” Chukwuma-Collins stated.
The community leader explained that residents had earlier written to the company managing the site and the state Ministry of Solid Minerals, requesting that the pit be handed over for controlled community mining after the company allegedly completed operations at the main pit.
He said the request was rejected, forcing the community to abandon the agitation.
“We engaged them (the company) in writing, even to the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, but they said no. So we, the leadership of the community, backed off from the agitation,” he added.
Chukwuma-Collins lamented that the latest incident has brought the death toll at the site to five persons in recent times.
Naija News reports that the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development in Ebonyi State, Chidi Onyia, who visited the scene, described the incident as unfortunate and commiserated with the families of the deceased.
He attributed recurring accidents in mining communities to illegal mining activities driven by greed and the quest for quick money.
“It is never our interest or intention to lose some of our people who are under our care,” Onyia said.
“This site belongs to First Patriots. Both the state and federal governments are not aware that this site has been abandoned. The site is still very active.”
He disclosed that the ministry had earlier received letters from community leaders requesting that the company release part of the site for local mining, but explained that the government lacked the authority to grant such approval since the land was under a private mining lease.
According to Onyia, government officials, including the lawmaker representing Ikwo North Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Ifeanyi Nwakpu, had visited the site several times to address concerns raised by the community.
“The company vehemently said no and gave their reasons. They said that the pit is already dangerous and not the kind of place you allow artisans to work,” he added.
He further alleged that some youths often sneaked into the site against the company’s directives, describing the development as carelessness.
Onyia warned that those sponsoring illegal mining frequently avoid the risks, while young and unemployed miners bear the consequences.
“It is high time we prioritise lives above monetary value,” he said.
Meanwhile, the police in Ebonyi State said no official report had been made by the community or any individual regarding the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Source: Naijanews.com | Read the Full Story…
