Five women were confirmed dead after an illegal mining site collapsed in Niger State.
The victims, including a pregnant woman, were buried in Paikoro’s Budu village pit on Monday evening.
At least five women lost their lives after an illegal mining site collapsed in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The tragic incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Monday in Budu village, when a mining pit suddenly gave way, burying the victims inside.
Those who died were identified as Tani Abubakar, who was said to be pregnant, Farida Mustapha, Farida Sule, Khadijat Abdullahi, and Zainab Usman. They were all residents of Budu and Panbi communities.
According to eyewitnesses, security officials arrived at the location shortly after the collapse. “The victims were pulled out of the debris and taken to the General Hospital in Paiko, but doctors confirmed they were already dead. Their remains have been placed in the hospital morgue for further examination,” one source explained.
The source also noted that inquiries into the cause of the collapse had commenced, while cautioning locals to desist from engaging in unlawful mining operations that put lives at serious risk.
