No fewer than thirteen (13) people have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a mining site in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.
The tragic incident was confirmed by the Chairman of Bassa LGA, Dr. Joshua Riti, who spoke to journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Tuesday.
Dr. Riti, deeply concerned by the loss of life, stated that the collapsed mining site is located at the boundaries between Bassa, Jos South, and Jos North LGAs. He expressed grief over the large number of deaths and the young lives lost in the incident.
“This is an unfortunate incident; these young people were only out in search of a means of livelihood,” Riti said. “They went out to put their energies to good use to sustain and meet up with the current economic hardship in the country but met their untimely death.”
He further extended his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, saying, “I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy.”
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It was gathered that most of the deceased were youths between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Many of the victims were reportedly unlicensed local miners, who, like others in the community, often engage in the illegal extraction of available resources in their localities to survive.
The incident highlights the risks faced by informal miners in the region, who often work without proper licenses or safety measures.
