By Deborah Nnamdi
No fewer than 37 persons have reportedly died following suspected exposure to toxic gas at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, raising fresh concerns over unsafe mining operations in the area.
The tragic incident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, was said to have happened after miners allegedly dug deep into the ground and were exposed to a deadly gas.
The Wase Youth Leader, Shafi Sambo, who confirmed the development said he received a distress call at dawn informing him of the incident.
“It happened at a mining site in Company Zurak, Wase Local Government. We got information that the miners dug deep into the ground and were exposed to a gas that killed 37 of them instantly,” Sambo said.
He added that several other miners were rescued alive and rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment. However, the exact number of survivors could not be confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
According to Sambo, the victims were youths mining zinc on behalf of a company believed to be a Chinese-owned firm operating in the area, although details about the company and the specific mineral involved were yet to be officially verified.
In the wake of the incident, troops of the Nigerian Army were deployed to the site and have since cordoned off the area to prevent further access and possible exposure.
“The army has since gone there and cordoned off the place to stop people from having access and also to stop the spread,” the youth leader stated.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the state government proved unsuccessful. Calls placed to the Plateau State Commissioner for Environment, Peter Gwom, and the Chairman of Wase Local Government Area, Hamisu Anani, were neither answered nor returned as of press time.
The incident has reignited public concern over both artisanal and company-backed mining activities in rural communities, where safety standards, environmental oversight, and emergency response mechanisms are often considered inadequate.
Residents have called on the Plateau State Government and relevant federal authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the tragedy, ensure accountability where necessary, and enforce stricter safety regulations to prevent a recurrence.
