A tragic mining accident in Enyim Agalegu, Ebonyi State, has claimed the lives of three people and left four others injured. The collapse occurred on Saturday in a pit located in Ikwo Local Government Area, reportedly under the mining lease of First Patriots Limited (formerly Royal Salt), where illegal mining activities were allegedly ongoing.
Collins Oboke, National Chairperson of the Enyim Agalegu Edukwu Federated Union, confirmed the incident, saying, “We evacuated some overburden on top of some lifeless people, like three of them, and we rescued about four that were injured.” He explained that the community had previously requested controlled access to the site after the company’s main operations were completed, but the request was denied.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development in Ebonyi State, Chidi Onyi, described the event as unfortunate and attributed recurring accidents in mining communities to illegal mining driven by greed. He emphasized that the site remains under private lease, and neither the state nor federal government has authority to reassign it for local mining.
The collapse raises concerns about safety and regulatory oversight in mining communities, particularly where abandoned or active sites are accessed illegally by youths and artisanal miners. This incident brings the total number of deaths at this particular site to five.
Authorities continue to urge caution and adherence to safety regulations to prevent further loss of life.
