Four individuals suspected of engaging in unlawful mining operations tragically lost their lives when a sand excavation site collapsed at Tangur community within Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The devastating incident occurred at approximately 2:20pm on Tuesday, following military personnel’s arrival at the scene after receiving reports of a sand pit collapse involving suspected illegal miners operating near a riverbank.

“Upon reaching the location, the soldiers discovered that four individuals had perished as a result of the collapse.”

The deceased were identified as Mallam Fahad Aliyu and three women whose identities remained unconfirmed at the time of reporting. Their grieving families retrieved the remains for burial according to their customs.

During preliminary inquiries, troops engaged the community leadership who denied any knowledge of the illicit mining activities occurring within their jurisdiction.

Ongoing investigations are currently underway to determine the precise factors that triggered the collapse and to assess the extent of illegal mining operations that had been conducted at the site.

The Plateau incident emerges merely a week after 37 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining operations lost their lives while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

These tragic deaths stemmed from their detention during rigorous anti-illegal mining enforcement operations executed on September 15 and 16.

In a decisive move, the Federal Government has convened a 10-member independent investigative committee tasked with thoroughly examining the circumstances surrounding the Niger deaths, while the NSCDC Niger State Commandant and 20 other personnel have been suspended from duty pending the investigation’s completion.

The cause of the 37 deaths remain unclear. Authorities have ordered investigations and advanced forensic examinations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.