A major tragedy has struck Mayo-Kam community in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State, where a mining pit reportedly collapsed on illegal miners, leaving scores of people, including women and children feared dead.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on Thursday, while the miners were working at the site,
triggering mourning and anxiety among residents who feared that several victims could still be trapped beneath the debris.
Key Highlights:
Over 20 people are feared dead after a mining pit collapsed in Mayo-Kam, Taraba.
Police have recovered five bodies so far.
Rescue operations are ongoing for possible survivors.
The incident has renewed concerns over illegal and unsafe mining.
Authorities are yet to confirm the final casualty figure.
Although the exact number of casualties remains uncertain as of the time of filing this report, a resident of the community, Kenneth Ayila, said more than 20 people were feared dead or trapped following the collapse.
“A mining pit has collapsed on miners at Mayo Kam village in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State this afternoon. Over 20 people are feared dead,” Ayila said.
The development has plunged Mayo-Kam into mourning, with residents and families anxiously awaiting information on the fate of those who were at the mining site when the earth gave way.
A community leader, Usman Bello, confirmed that most of the victims were believed to be indigenes of Mayo-Kam.
According to him, only a few miners usually travel from neighbouring communities to engage in mining activities in the area, suggesting that the disaster could have affected a significant number of local residents.
Bello described the incident as devastating, saying the community was still struggling to comprehend the scale of the tragedy. “We are in total shock over the incident,” he said.
However, the Taraba State Police Command has cautioned against speculation over the casualty figure, saying the actual number of victims was yet to be established.
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The command’s spokesperson, Victor Msherizar, confirmed that five bodies have so far been recovered from the collapsed mining pit.
He said rescue operations were ongoing to locate and evacuate other people who might still be trapped beneath the collapsed earth.
Msherizar said the police could not immediately confirm the total number of casualties, adding that further details would be made available as rescue and recovery operations progressed.
The discrepancy between the community’s estimate of more than 20 feared dead and the five bodies officially recovered underscores the uncertainty surrounding the incident, with the final casualty figure expected to emerge after the completion of the search operation.
The disaster has also renewed concerns over unregulated mining activities in Taraba state, particularly against the backdrop of reports of an existing ban on illegal mining operations.
Mining remains an important economic activity in several rural communities, but poorly regulated operations can expose workers to dangerous conditions, including unstable pits and the risk of sudden collapse.
The Mayo-Kam tragedy is therefore likely to rekindle calls for stronger enforcement of mining regulations and improved safety measures at mining sites across the state.
Beyond the immediate loss of lives, the incident could have a lasting impact on families in Mayo-Kam, particularly if more victims are confirmed to have been buried beneath the collapsed pit.
As rescue efforts continued, attention is also turning to the state government and relevant authorities to provide an official account of the disaster and clarify the circumstances surrounding the mining operation.
At the time of filing this report, the Taraba State government has not issued an official statement on the incident.
Authorities are expected to establish what caused the collapse, determine whether the mining operation violated existing regulations and ascertain the actual number of people who were at the site when the incident occurred.
For now, the community remains gripped by grief and uncertainty, as rescue workers continue the difficult task of searching the collapsed mining pit for possible survivors and additional victims.
