20 Feared Dead in Taraba Illegal Mining Pit Collapse

At least 20 artisanal miners, including women and children, are feared dead or trapped after an illegal mining pit collapsed in the Mayo-Kam community within the Bali Local Government Area of central Taraba State.

The disaster, which reportedly occurred on Thursday, has sent shockwaves through the rural area as local excavation activities turned fatal.

Emergency responders and local volunteers have launched an intensive rescue operation.

Five Bodies Recovered as Search Continues

While initial community assessments fear a death toll of over 20 artisanal miners—including women and children—official law enforcement reports remain cautious.

Speaking on Friday, Victor Mshelizah, the spokesperson for the Taraba State Police Command, confirmed that five bodies have been recovered so far. “The actual number of casualties has not yet been fully established, but our teams have recovered five bodies from the site so far,” Mshelizah stated.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate and evacuate any remaining persons who may still be trapped underneath the debris.

Crackdown on Illegal Mining Operations

The Mayo-Kam area is historically known for unregulated, artisanal mining activities. This disaster has renewed sharp criticism and concerns over the persistence of illegal operations in the region, despite an existing ban by the state government.

The Mayo-Kam mine collapse comes on the heels of another tragic incident where 37 suspected illegal miners who were arrested died in the custody of Nigeria’s mining police