BY LENGNAN TOBIAS
The hazardous world of artisanal mining has claimed the lives of numerous young people, leaving countless families in Plateau devastated.
Many people are still mourning the breadwinners and children trapped and killed in collapsed, unregulated mining pits.
In Plateau mining communities, it is hard to find a family that has not lost someone to the sand. Some have lost three or more when tunnels gave way beneath them.
Yet, the mining sites grow busier each day. For many, they are a lifeline, attracting people from across the state with the promise of quick money. For others, the mining pits have become a sort of curse.
Jane Pam, 45, a widow, calls the site where her daughter died “cursed.”
Her 17-year-old, Karen, died in April 2025 while mining in Barkin Ladi.
“She left home to work to provide for us because of the hardship.
“I was told the site collapsed on them while they were digging for treasures. Since then, life has not been easy.
“Karen was our heroine and breadwinner; we can only tell stories now of how she supported us with proceeds from mining; we are in serious grief, we don’t know how to survive without her,” she said.
Samson Bulus lost his brother at Kassa, a village near Barkin Ladi in 2004. “My brother was one of the successful young men who built a life from mining.
“Just last year, he and a few friends went to mine tin. They never returned. He left a wife and three children.
“This is the second time someone close to me has been buried under the rocks. We heard that site had a lot of treasure; that is why it drew people from many communities,” Bulus said.
Also, Joseph Gar’s friend, John, died the same way in Bassa last year.
“John was one of the most successful young people in our community.
“He started early when mining began there. It’s unfortunate that the source of his livelihood claimed his life.
“He always told us to join him, but I was reluctant because of school. Still, John supported me and other friends. He was more than a friend to many of us,” Gar said.
NAN investigations found John was among more than 20 people who were buried last year in an old mining pit collapse.
An expert, Bot Fondom, who is familiar with the area, said the miners were warned not to enter that pit but they refused. “They went because others had pulled more than 200,000 from it that morning.
“Some said the pit was big enough to hold two cars. Many who went in were dancing and playing music, driven by the wealth they found. But the rocks caved in and swallowed them anyway.’’
He added that hardship was pulling miners from neighbouring states into Plateau villages.
“There are even civil servants who mine before going home. Mining has drastically reduced traditional crime in these communities. The youths are busy with their lives,’’ Fondom said.
Gyang Bere, Dr Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA) to Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, said the government briefly suspended mining activities to stop the frequent collapse of burrow pits.
“Government has directed artisanal miners to register under cooperatives so they can be assisted with modern equipment. “We believe this will significantly reduce pit collapses,” Bere said.
He said only screened miners with valid licenses are currently allowed to operate. NAN reports that illegal and artisanal mining operations have caused over 200 deaths in the last decade.
In 2024–2025, a surge in incidents, especially in Niger, Plateau, and Zamfara States, killed more than 100 people in single events, often driven by heavy rain and poor safety protocols.
Observers say external interests also fuel illegal and artisanal mining.
A recent report by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) titled Silent Conquest: The Chinese infiltration of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Sector showed heavy Chinese interests in the nations precious mineral belts.
The report connected granular field-level events to broader patterns of national security risk, environmental decline, and governance failures.
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