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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Several miners are feared dead following a suspected toxic gas exposure at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, in what sources describe as one of the deadliest mining incidents in the area in recent times.
The tragedy, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of February 18, was disclosed by community sources and later corroborated in a report by security journalist Zagazola Makama.
According to the Wase Youth Leader, Shafi Sambo, he received an early-morning distress call alerting him to the incident.
“It happened at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government. We got information that the miners dug deep into the ground and were exposed to a gas that killed 37 of them instantly,” Sambo said during a phone interview.
Sambo added that several other miners were rescued alive and rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care, although the exact number of survivors remains unclear.
Further reports indicate that about 25 persons were hospitalised after inhaling the poisonous gas, believed to have accumulated in poorly ventilated underground tunnels where routine mining activities were ongoing. The victims were said to be mostly young men aged between 20 and 35.
Sources cited by Makama disclosed that the incident occurred at a facility identified as Solid Mining Company, with miners reportedly extracting zinc on behalf of a company believed to be Chinese-owned, though official details of the firm have not been confirmed.
“The site is under strict control, and emergency protocols are being followed to manage the situation,” a source told Makama.
Following the incident, troops of the Nigerian Army were reportedly deployed to the area to cordon off the mining site and prevent further exposure.
“The army has since gone there and cordoned off the place to stop people from having access and also to stop the spread,” Sambo said.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Plateau State government, and security agencies had yet to issue any official statement confirming or debunking the incident.
The lack of response from authorities has heightened anxiety among residents and families of the victims, who are calling for a thorough investigation, improved safety standards, and accountability.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the dangers associated with both artisanal and company-backed mining in remote communities, where safety oversight and emergency preparedness remain weak.
It also comes amid similar mining disasters across Africa, including a recent deadly collapse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, underscoring ongoing safety challenges within the continent_toggle.