At least 22 miners are feared dead following the collapse of a mining pit at an illegal mining site within a national game reserve spanning the Gashaka Local Government Area (LGA) in Taraba State and Toungo LGA in Adamawa State.
Adamu Jamtare, a miner from Gashaka, reported that many of the miners presumed dead were from Jamtare town in Gashaka LGA. “They were mining gold in an area known as the Buffa zone within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, covering parts of both Gashaka and Toungo. All 22 miners trapped in the pit are presumed dead,” he said.
Engineer Suleiman Toungo, the Chairman of Toungo LGA, confirmed that five bodies had been recovered but admitted uncertainty regarding the total number of miners still buried. According to him, the accident, which involved miners from various regions, including Zamfara and Adamawa, occurred nearly a month ago.
Despite regular patrols by rangers, illegal mining persists in the area, often conducted covertly at night. “Five bodies have been recovered so far,” Engineer Toungo noted.
The Gashaka-Gumti National Park, a game reserve known for its mineral deposits, has witnessed several fatalities in recent years due to unregulated mining. According to a resident of Tila village, who requested anonymity, approximately 70 miners died in similar incidents last year, though many cases went unreported.
Adamawa Police Public Relations Officer SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje confirmed two recent fatal incidents involving pit collapses. In one case, four miners died; in the other, six miners were trapped, with two confirmed dead and four injured.
SP Nguroje added that the police are working with Gumti National Park officials to curb illegal mining and apprehend those involved.
