A tragedy struck recently in Gudum Sayawa, a rural settlement of the Bauchi metropolis in Bauchi state, when a mining site caved in and killed four women who were trapped, thereby throwing the community into frenzy of mourning.
Residents of Gudum Sayawa are mostly agrarian people who engage in all-season farming, though not on a large scale, but subsistence farming. The community only recently ventured into mining activities in order to complement what comes from farming.
However, because of the poor harvest in recent years, mining activities have increased, with women and children mostly involved, as they can be seen moving from one site to another.
Reports have it that the cave collapsed and killed three of the women instantly, while one died a week later at the hospital where she was receiving treatment for the injury.
According to an eyewitness, the women were unable to escape the cave site on time, and they were crushed by the falling earth.
The devastating incident was not the first of its kind where local miners, who are mostly women and children, lost their lives at a mining site in Bauchi State.
In 2023, a mining site in Bar Kudu, in Bogoro local government, claimed the lives of three women and injured others.
Mathias Mamaki and his mother, the two survivors of the tragedy, along with Musa, who is also at the mining site, gave an account of what happened at this mining site in Rafin Tambari in Bauchi State.
Musa said that the high level of poverty is one of the major reasons that is pushing hundreds of people to troop to the mining site to dig monoxide to earn a living.
In one of the houses of a victim who died during the incident, her husband, Iliya Gambar, described the shocking story of his wife as most devastating to him, coming at a time that was least expected.
This is a sad moment for the families of the deceased, who are thrown into mourning. To many, this will serve as a reminder of the dangers that come with working on a local illegal mining site.
Authorities have been advised to provide measures that will, however, curtail such incidences.
Meanwhile, residents of the community have appealed to the federal and state governments to provide them with alternative sources of livelihood as unregulated mining activities have led to the loss of lives, while others have suffered various degrees of injuries at the mining site 800 metres away from the community.
While reacting to the recent disaster, a community leader, Daniel Iliya, who is the Galadima of Gudum Sayawa, confirmed the incident, describing it as “most horrible and unfortunate.”
According to him, “We need the government to come and assess the mining sites to see if it is safe for artisanal miners to work there, so we don’t lose our villagers again. If that is done, it will reduce the risks associated with mining operations.
He opines that the removal of fuel subsidy compelled them to engage in unregulated mining activities in the area, which has led to the death of four people, with several others still receiving treatment
Family members of the affected victims also shared their thoughts, saying that the current high cost of living necessitated their actions to jump into mining activities as a means of survival since the fuel price is no longer stable, which affected their business struggle for daily bread
Jonah Saraki and Mary Jonah are the parents of one of the Victims, They shared their thoughts, describing the incident as worrisome despite fetching income for the immediate family to reduce the high cost of living currently in the country
The bereaved parents said, “We cautioned some of them at the site to be on alert so that if they sense any danger, they can leave immediately.
Mining is helping us a lot because some of our people have started reaping the benefits through several means, as those who barely afford food can now do so.”
They added that “we and our children go to the mining site and dig for precious stones. Since the cost of living has shot up, we have no choice; our husbands cannot afford to foot our bills anymore, leaving us with no choice.”
Saraya Audu, a miner and mother of many children who were among those involved in the early discovery of monoxide at the mining site, narrates her experience as a mixed one.
According to her, “After discovering the mine site, our people shifted to mining immediately. I joined them last year, but while working at the site, I got fractured.
“The proceeds from mining are helping us and our family members, especially some of us who have plenty of children.”
At the mining site and separation area, operators said at least 100 people go there on a daily basis to mine different minerals, such as monoxide, zaicon, and other precious stones, for transactions with other business communities as a source of income.
Efforts to get the reaction of the concerned authorities failed, as no official at both the Federal and Bauchi State Ministries of Mines was ready to comment on the tragedy as of the time of filling out this report on Tuesday.
