Residents of Galadima-Kogo in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State, have made an urgent appeal to the Federal Government to deploy modern rescue equipment following the collapse of a mining site on Monday. The incident resulted in one fatality and several miners being trapped in a deep pit.
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that out of the 20 people initially trapped, six have been rescued alive. Despite these efforts, residents expressed concern over the slow pace of the rescue operation due to the use of outdated equipment.
Abubakar Sani, a resident, highlighted the inefficacy of the current equipment, prompting locals to resort to traditional mining tools to aid in the rescue. He emphasized the challenging conditions, noting the depth of the pit, equivalent to three electricity poles, and the softness of the soil due to recent rainfall, which increased the risk of further collapse.
“We had to mobilize local miners to use their tools, but due to the risk of another disaster, they were asked to stop,” Sani explained. He urged the Federal Government to send specialized equipment to expedite the rescue, emphasizing the possibility that some miners might still be alive.
Another resident, Samson Felix, stressed the need for the government to match its promises with actions by deploying experts and advanced equipment. He shared that many locals, including his friend who is among the trapped miners, had turned to mining due to frequent bandit attacks preventing them from farming.
“Bandits attack us daily on our farmlands, forcing us to seek alternative means of livelihood through mining,” Felix said. He cautioned against using heavy machinery like excavators, which could cause further harm to those trapped.
Malam Habibu Wushishi, Director of Media and Strategy for the Niger Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, confirmed that local rescue operations were halted to prevent additional disasters. The residents remain hopeful that the government will respond promptly to their appeals to ensure the safe rescue of the trapped miners.
