At least 37 miners have died from carbon monoxide poisoning at a mining site in Nigeria’s Plateau state, according to police and a security report seen by Reuters.
The incident occurred around 5:45 a.m. at a mining pit in Kampani, a community in the Wase area, the report said. At least 25 other miners were taken to hospital for treatment.
Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the site was an abandoned lead mine where stored minerals were prone to emitting toxic gases. He said villagers, unaware of the danger, entered the tunnel to extract minerals and were exposed to the fumes.
Following the incident, Alake ordered the closure of all mining areas covered by licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China in Zuraq. Authorities said villagers had been mining in a pit containing hazardous gas emissions.
Preliminary findings indicated that the victims, aged between 20 and 35, died after inhaling the gas while working underground, the security report said.
The Plateau state government said many people were feared dead, without providing an exact figure, and confirmed that survivors were receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.
Security forces have cordoned off the area to prevent further access, while the federal government ordered an immediate shutdown of all mining activities in the affected zone pending a full investigation.
Illegal mining is widespread in Nigeria, with many sites operating without safety measures or protective equipment, leaving miners vulnerable to fatal accidents.