Tragedy in Kaduna: 11 Almajiri Children Killed in Sand Heap Collapse, Sparks Outcry Over Child Labor
The Yardoka community in Kaduna is in mourning after 11 almajiri children, aged four to nine, were buried alive in a collapsed sand heap.
They were collecting sand for their Islamic teacher’s house when the ground gave way, raising fresh concerns about child labor practices.
The peaceful community of Yardoka in Kaduna State has been plunged into mourning after a devastating incident claimed the lives of 11 almajiri children. The tragic event occurred when a sand heap collapsed on the children while they were digging for sand to help construct a house for their Islamic teacher.
According to local residents, the victims were between the ages of four and nine. The children, students of a traditional Islamic school known as a Tsangaya, were engaged in a communal task collecting sand to aid their teacher’s building project. The seemingly harmless activity turned catastrophic when the pit they were working in suddenly gave way, burying several of them alive under a heavy mound of earth.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horrifying moment the soil caved in, catching the children off guard and leaving them with no time to escape. Community members immediately rushed to the scene and began frantic efforts to rescue the trapped children, using bare hands and crude tools. Despite their bravery and urgency, the rescue operation came too late for most of the children involved.
The names of the deceased have been released, further amplifying the grief reverberating through the community. They include Muntari Abdulkadir, Aliyu Abba, Ali Umar, Mubarak Haruna, Usain Isa, Yusuf Shafiu, Mujitafa Jibril, Yusha’u Saidu, Aliyu Abdu, Hamisu Mohammed, and Ali Abdulmomini.
In a small stroke of hope amid the heartbreak, seven children were rescued alive from the collapsed pit. Identified as Umar Dini, Jibir Surajo, Usman Abdulmomini, Sagir Hussaini, Naziru Abdullahi, Aminu Alkasim, and Kabiru Lawal, these survivors sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical attention at the Yardoka Primary Healthcare Centre.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan, stated that both police officers and local volunteers collaborated in the rescue mission. “Eleven of the children died and seven others were injured and are now in hospital receiving treatment,” he said. Hassan further assured the public that a full investigation is underway to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The heartbreaking loss of these young lives has sparked renewed conversations about the widespread issue of child labor, particularly within informal and religious educational systems like the almajiri. Critics argue that despite the spiritual and cultural significance of these schools, children enrolled in them often endure harsh conditions and are sometimes compelled to undertake manual labor, begging, or domestic chores for their survival or in service to their instructors.
Authorities have pledged to look into whether these children were unlawfully recruited for labour, a violation of Nigeria’s child protection and education laws. “We are investigating whether the children were recruited to work, which would be considered child labor,” Hassan added.
As the families of the deceased prepare to bury their young ones, grief and anger mingle with demands for accountability. Many in the Yardoka community are calling on the government and religious institutions to reform almajiri education, provide safer learning environments, and enforce existing laws that protect children from exploitation.
This tragedy, though deeply painful, may yet become a turning point one that forces urgent action against the silent crisis of child labour in Nigeria.
