A tragic incident has rocked the Dura community in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, where four miners lost their lives following the collapse of a mining site.

According to eyewitnesses, the ground caved in on Thursday night while the victims were working inside the pit.

Confirming the development, a resident of the community, Chuwang Davou, described the situation as devastating. “Yes, we have a tragic situation in Dura community. A mining site collapsed last night. I don’t know the casualty figure, but I can confirm to you that some people were inside the pit,” he told reporters.

Providing further details, Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s aide on Artisanal Mining, Solomon Dung, revealed that four individuals were trapped when the pit collapsed.
“Three died instantly, and one was rushed to the hospital. Sadly, he also passed away. I am just going to the community as I speak to you,” he said.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful, as spokesman Alabo Alfred was unreachable at the time of reporting.

The accident underscores the growing dangers faced by artisanal miners in Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria, where unsafe mining practices often lead to fatalities.

Just a day before the tragedy, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and the University of Jos had called on stakeholders to embrace modern mining practices during a capacity-building workshop themed “Enhancing Safety, Sustainability, and Community Development in Mining.”

The PTDF Executive Secretary, Ahmed Galadima, stressed that adopting global standards and safety measures could significantly reduce both insecurity and accidents in mining communities.

This latest incident is a painful reminder of the urgent need for improved regulation, safety training, and enforcement in Nigeria’s mining sector.