The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has described the tragic deaths of 13 young miners in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State as an urgent indicator of the expanding crisis of illegal mining in Nigeria. This incident, which took place on Saturday, November 9, 2024, occurred just days after a devastating mine collapse along the Taraba-Adamawa border claimed over 30 lives. The repeated disasters, RDI asserts, reflect the profound challenges and dangers of unregulated mining activities across the nation.
In a statement issued by Ifeoluwa Adediran, RDI’s Project Officer, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “The increasing frequency of mine collapses, especially in the northern regions, underscores that illegal mining has grown beyond what mere observation reveals. The lack of rigorous oversight by relevant authorities is a matter of grave concern,” Adediran said.
The miners involved in the Plateau incident were predominantly teenagers and young men from Bassa, striving to survive through informal mining practices. RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor, expressed deep concern over the recurring tragedies. “We had hoped that the widespread condemnation following the Shiroro mine collapse in Niger State last August, and last week’s border incident between Taraba and Adamawa, would be a turning point. However, this latest event in Plateau State highlights an urgent need to re-examine and revamp the oversight architecture of mining operations to prevent more young Nigerians from losing their lives,” Jakpor stated.
Jakpor further noted that government efforts to combat illegal mining appear insufficient, with a worrying silence or implicit complicity allowing unchecked activities by both local and foreign—often Chinese—operators. He pointed out that the introduction of mining marshals by the federal government has failed to stem these illegal practices.
“It is time to reassess the Mining Marshal Initiative and adapt it to the current realities faced by mining communities. Their operations need to be synergized with local community efforts and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which is currently lacking,” Jakpor added.
Adediran stressed that an urgent national dialogue on illegal mining is essential, enabling communities to have a say in how their resources are managed and ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed. He warned that northern Nigeria risks mirroring the ‘oil curse’ experienced in the Niger Delta due to the unchecked exploitation of solid minerals.
“The preventable nature of these mining deaths is unacceptable. The government must take immediate action to hold illegal operators accountable—not just for depleting national resources and causing environmental damage, but for the loss of lives. Failure to address this will only escalate the crisis,” Adediran asserted.