The Federal Government has vowed to revoke licensed units of land harbouring activities of illegal miners following recent spate of collapsed mining sites resulting in loss of lives.
This is the latest government effort towards curtailing the nefarious activities of illegal operators in the mining value chain.
LEADERSHIP recalls that a mining pit collapsed few days ago in Niger State recently, claiming the lives of three illegal miners.
Earlier, a mining pit operated had collapsed after heavy rainfall in Shiroro local government area of the state, killing 20 persons in the State, according to police authorities.
Reacting to the mining mishaps, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, who gave this warning, said preliminary investigations showed that the collapsed mine was in the area assigned Exploration Licence 43113 of JURASSIC MINES Limited in Adunu Village, Paikoro Local Government Area, Niger State.
Alake, in a statement by his media aide, Segun Tomori, explained that issuing an exploration licence to an applicant to confirm suitability for the proposed mineral exploration does not authorise express engagement in mining.
Alake noted that the ministry received report of the accident at about 4:45 pm on Thursday, indicating that three people had died when a tunnel collapsed on them while mining gold in the site.
He said further inquiry revealed that the miners were mining illegally at the site when the accident occurred.
“The ministry promptly mobilised its mine officers and headed to the area, arriving at the site around 6:15 pm,” he said; adding that the officials were informed that three men were killed in the accident and had since been buried.
“At the time of the visit, work had stopped at the site, and only onlookers were seen. The coordinates of the site were taken, and officials returned to Minna at about 8:30 pm. The owners of the company were contacted by phone, but they claimed ignorance of happenings in the site. They were then summoned to the office in the state capital,” he said.
The minister further pledged to communicate developments regarding the unfortunate incident as they unfold.