Over 30 people trapped as mining site collapses in Niger

A mining site has collapsed in Galkogo village of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger, killing one person and trapping more than 30 persons, the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has said.

“One person had been confirmed death, six persons rescued with severe injuries while more than 30 people were still being trapped,” the agency said.

The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said in Minna on Tuesday that the incident occurred on June 3.

He said that the agency received report of a mining site collapse at Galkogo village of Shiroro.

Baba-Arah said that the cause of the mining site collapsed was as a result of heavy rainfall impacts on the soil.

He expressed concerns that the rescuers ran for safety from the site because the site kept falling.

He also noted that the agency had yet to get full details on rescue operations due to insecurity in the area.

He, however, said that excavators had been deployed to the site for the rescue operations.

The director-general also said that the agency received report of persistent bandit attacks in Shiroro and Mashegu local government areas of the state.

He said that the bandits reportedly attacked Adogo Malam village on June 2 and kidnapped six persons.

He also said that the suspected bandits kidnapped more than 20 people and stole many cattles in Tunga Kawo, an adjoining community from Erena.