Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake has ordered the closure of a mining site in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria after deadly gas emissions.
The site areas covered by Mining Licence 11810 operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China in Zurak community in Wase LGA, has been closed following the death of villagers allegedly mining in a pit containing gaseous emissions.
Alake made this known in his call to commiserate with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and the people of Plateau State over the death of villagers. The miners reportedly died while trying to earn a living and were unaware of the poisonous nature of the emissions in the mining site after inhaling the gaseous substance.
The Minister said a team of officials and investigators has been sent to investigate the cause of the incident and recommend sanctions. The team includes experts in mining, environmental compliance and artisanal cooperatives.
Alake emphasised that incidents like this will not be tolerated, and lives on mining sites will not be gambled with, as preliminary reports indicated that the company ceded the pit where the incident took place to the community to mine following agitations by villagers for empowerment.
Reports indicate that the area was an abandoned Lead site with the stored mineral prone to emissions of sulphuric oxide.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
