Tragedy as Mining Pit Collapse Kills 3, Injures 4 Others
- Collapse of a mining pit in Ebonyi State results in three fatalities and four injuries
- Community leaders call for safer mining practices following recent tragic accidents
- Officials highlight the dangers of illegal mining and emphasize prioritising lives over profit
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Ebonyi State - A mining pit collapse has killed three and injured four others in Enyim Agalegu community, Ikwo Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.
The incident occurred on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at a pit reportedly under the mining lease of First Patriots Limited (formerly Royal Salt).
The National Chairman of Enyim Agalegu Edukwu Opeke Federated Union, Oboke Chukwuma Collins, lamented that the latest tragedy brings the total number of deaths at the site in recent times to five.
As reported by Vanguard, Oboke said he received a distress call at about 4 p.m. on Saturday and immediately mobilized community members for rescue operations.
“We evacuated overburden from three lifeless bodies and rescued four injured victims.”
He claimed the community had previously requested that the company and the Ebonyi State Ministry of Solid Minerals release part of the pit for controlled local mining, following completion of work at the main site.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chidi Onyia, attributed recurring accidents in mining communities to illegal mining and greed.
Onyia emphasised that the Ebonyi government was unaware that the site had been abandoned.
He urged prioritization of lives over monetary gain.
According to Onyia, the company officials had warned the community that the pit was dangerous.
The commissioner said the ministry cannot authorize local access to the leased site and revealed that
The lawmaker representing Ikwo North Constituency, Ifeanyi Nwakpu, aid deceased were taken to a mortuary, while the four injured victims are receiving hospital treatment.
Many mining workers declared dead in Zamfara
Recall that at least 13 miners were confirmed dead in Kadauri, Zamfara, after a mining pit collapse left many more trapped underground.
Survivors described narrow escapes, with over 100 miners reportedly involved and only 15 rescued alive during frantic recovery efforts.
The Zamfara Miners Association confirmed the tragedy as concerns mount over the dangers of artisanal mining in the state.
Read more stories on mining pit collapse:
- 13 Feared Dead As Mining Site Collapses in Plateau, Details Emerge
- Residents React as Mining Marshals Flush Out Thousands of Illegal Miners in Kebbi
- Tinubu’s Govt Rejects Mining Ban Amid Northern Governors' Security Concerns
- Tinubu's Govt Gives Mining Companies Deadline to Conclude Community Development Agreements
- Zamfara: Tinubu Told to Take Immediate Action on Illegal Mining as Security Experts Raise Alarm
30 feared dead after mining pit collapses
Legit.ng also reported that at least 30 individuals were feared dead after a mining pit collapsed in Galkogo village within the Shiroro local government area of Niger State.
The tragic incident occurred late in the night in June 2024.
One fatality has been confirmed, with six individuals rescued and receiving treatment for injuries
Source: Legit.ng
