Tackling Illegal Mining, Incessant Fatalities At Mining Sites 

Adebayo Obajemu 

There have been too many incidents on many sites in the country, and much of this has resulted in deaths or lifetime disabilities.

On recently, precisely February 16, no  fewer than 37 miners  reportedly lost their lives following a suspected carbon monoxide leak at a mining facility in Zurak community, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The fatal incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of Tuesday , February 16 at a mining location, where workers were operating in underground shafts.

Sources familiar with the development  told GreenPlinth that the miners were engaged in routine excavation activities when toxic fumes allegedly built up inside the tunnels due to inadequate ventilation, according to a security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama. 

The trapped gas was said to have spread quickly through the confined spaces, leaving dozens unconscious before help could reach them.

Witnesses recounted a distressing scene as some miners reportedly collapsed while attempting to exit the shafts. 

Colleagues and local residents were said to have scrambled to pull victims to safety, while others alerted emergency responders.

At least 25 miners were rescued alive and rushed to a primary healthcare centre in the area for urgent medical attention. 

Health workers reportedly battled hard to stabilise several of the victims, some of whom remained in critical condition for more than a week.

A police source reportedly disclosed that the area had been secured to prevent further casualties and to allow investigators and safety officials to assess the situation.

“The site has been placed under control, and access is currently restricted as authorities carry out preliminary findings into what led to the gas exposure,” the source was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, experts  who spoke to GreenPlinth said that underground mining operations require strict monitoring of air quality, installation of ventilation systems, and functional gas detection equipment to prevent the accumulation of hazardous fumes potentially deadly in confined environments.

Community leaders in Wase have reportedly called on relevant regulatory bodies to launch a comprehensive probe into the incident, urging transparency and accountability. 

They also appealed for support for the affected families, many of whom depend on mining as their primary source of livelihood.

The latest disaster added to a growing list of mining-related accidents in parts of Nigeria, where enforcement of safety regulations has often been criticised as weak, particularly in remote communities. 

The slew of illegal mining is yet another challenge to mining operations in the country. On February 20, operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) took into custody eight suspects and impounded six trucks over alleged illegal mining activities along the Ilorin–Ogbomoso axis spanning Kwara and Oyo states.

The anti-graft agency disclosed  that the suspects were apprehended on Saturday, February 20, 2026, following credible intelligence and days of surveillance targeting unlawful mineral excavation and transportation in parts of the two states.

The latest arrests have brought to 18 the total number of suspects apprehended by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate within the last one month over alleged illegal mining activities.

Preliminary investigations by the EFCC reportedly revealed that the suspects operated without the requisite licences, permits, or regulatory approvals as mandated by Nigeria’s mining laws and regulatory framework.

The commission stated that the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations. 

Only recently, residents of Ado-Odo in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State  raised the alarm over what they described as escalating environmental and safety threats linked to ongoing clay mining activities within and around residential neighbourhoods.

The residents—comprising indigenes, landlords and allottees of the Ogun State Housing Estate—under the umbrella of the Ado-Odo Progressive Union, accused a mining company of excavating clay, locally known as black soil, dangerously close to homes, farmlands and access roads.

Speaking with journalists recently, the residents said the mining activities had left deep, water-filled pits, degraded large expanses of land and exposed residents to serious risks.

A community member, Soji Adesigun , said residents were shocked by the scale of the excavation and its proximity to residential buildings, adding that earlier protests had forced government officials to intervene.

Another resident,  Sodiq Abudu said, “This burrow pit is very close to the residential area. When we noticed it, we protested, and that led to a meeting with the state government. They directed the company to meet with stakeholders because what is happening is a gross violation of the mining laws.”

He further alleged that the Ogun State Ministry of Environment had earlier sealed one of the sites and issued an abatement notice.

“The ministry sealed the site and issued an abatement notice. I am surprised that while the notice is still subsisting, the company went ahead to dump laterite there, apparently to cover up evidence. One section was dug in 2024, and another this January. The pit is so deep it can swallow a storey building. We cannot continue to live like this,” he said.

Another resident, Olusegun Aina, expressed concern over the environmental, health and security implications of the abandoned pits.

“These pits collect water during the rainy season and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Beyond health risks, they are death traps,” he said.

Aina also alleged that some operators posed security threats to residents. “In other parts of the community where mining is ongoing, people cannot go near the sites because of possible attacks. Some of the operators take drugs and can be violent. Anyone who confronts them does so at great risk,” he added.

Some of the affected locations were found to have been deserted by residents who previously lived there before the commencement of the mining activities.

Members of the Ado-Odo Progressive Union said the community had suffered years of environmental degradation caused by both licensed and unlicensed miners who allegedly failed to reclaim mined lands.

The group called for the immediate suspension of all excavation activities within the Ogun State Housing Estate and adjoining communities pending a comprehensive environmental impact assessment.

A union member, Taiwo Talabi, faulted the siting of mining operations near residential and agricultural areas.

“While we support responsible mining, such activities should not be located within residential areas or farmlands, which are the mainstay of our people’s economy. Beyond environmental damage, the security and ecosystem implications are severe,” he said.

Another member, Okanlawon Jagundina, said some of the lands being mined were originally designated for housing by the Ogun State Housing Corporation.

“Ado-Odo is known as the food basket of the state. Parts of this land were released for housing purposes. We appeal to the state government to save our soil and preserve our ecosystem by critically examining this issue with a holistic and unbiased approach,” he said.

The residents also demanded a review of the licensing and compliance status of mining operators, remediation of degraded lands, compensation for affected residents and stricter enforcement of environmental and town-planning laws.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the ministry would investigate the allegations.