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At least 22 miners are feared dead after an illegal mining pit collapsed in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which spans Adamawa and Taraba states.
The miners, predominantly from Jamtare town in the Gashaka Local Government Area (LGA), were digging for gold in the Buffa zone when the incident occurred.
Local miner Adamu Jamtare confirmed the tragic news, stating that all 22 miners trapped in the pit are presumed dead.
“They were mining gold in an area known as the Buffa zone within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park. All 22 miners trapped in the pit are presumed dead,” he said.
Engineer Suleiman Toungo, Chairman of the Toungo LGA, also verified the deaths, revealing that five bodies had been recovered.
“The incident happened almost a month ago, and the exact number of miners still buried is uncertain,” he explained.
Despite being patrolled by rangers, the mining site remains a hotspot for illegal mining activities, particularly at night.
The Gashaka-Gumti National Park, known for its rich mineral resources, has become a site of recurring fatalities due to unregulated mining.
Last year, an anonymous source from Tila village reported that approximately 70 miners had died in similar incidents, many of which went unreported.
Adamawa Police spokesperson, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed the occurrence of two separate mining pit collapses, resulting in fatalities, with two miners confirmed dead and four others injured.
Authorities are working with park officials to curb illegal mining activities and hold perpetrators accountable.