The Senate has tasked the Committee on Solid Minerals with conducting an inquiry into the reason behind a rockslide in the Farin Doki community, located in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The rockslide led to the burial of 30 informal miners in a gold mining location.
This directive came after a motion was passed during a plenary session on Thursday in Abuja regarding the urgent necessity to address the occurrence of the rockslide.
The motion was put forth by Mohammed Sani (APC-Niger East), who reported that on June 3, a rockslide took place at an open-pit gold mine, causing 30 local informal miners to be buried alive in the Farin Doki Community.
He mentioned that the site was in close proximity to Erena in the Shiroro Local Government Area, within the Niger East Senatorial District.
Sani highlighted that the miners, while seeking gold and lithium minerals, met their unfortunate end as the avalanche occurred, covering them under tons of debris.
He emphasized that this tragic event emphasized the pressing need for comprehensive action to be taken to address the risks faced and posed by local mining activities nationwide.
Sani stressed the importance of securing mining sites to prevent future incidents and avoid further loss of life.
“This will significantly contribute to ensuring that mining activities are carried out in a safe and legal manner to prevent future tragedies and enhance the overall welfare of miners throughout the country,” he stated.
He expressed concern that the bodies of the deceased individuals had not yet been retrieved for proper burial by their families.
According to Sani, deliberate efforts should be made by relevant government agencies to recover the bodies for burial.
He indicated that since Nigeria aims to diversify its economy, the mining sub-sector, being lucrative, should be sufficiently utilized for the socio-economic advancement of the nation.
“Therefore, the appropriate authorities should promptly and necessarily launch a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident to identify any existing shortcomings.
“As part of efforts to restore order to the system, stringent regulations should be implemented to safeguard the lives of those reliant on this industry for their livelihood.
“It is also fitting for relevant committees of the National Assembly to heighten their oversight of mining activities nationwide to harness the benefits present in the sector,” he added.
The Senate, after observing a minute of silence in honor of the victims, commended the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, for his prompt response in overseeing the situation.
It also urged the Federal Government to establish stringent safety measures and regulations on mining operations in Nigeria in accordance with international standards.
The Senate additionally called for the deployment of adequate security measures to mining communities to maintain surveillance around mining areas and prevent further unauthorized access by informal miners
.
It called on the National Emergency Management Agency and other pertinent government agencies to accelerate efforts in recovering the remains of the deceased individuals in the tragedy.
According to the upper chamber, such recovery will enable the grieving families to have closure regarding their loved ones.
The Senate also urged the committee to expedite the passage of the Mine Ranger Bill currently under consideration in the Senate.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives demanded the urgent rescue of miners trapped in the mining pit. This resolution was made following the adoption of a motion presented by Ismail Modibo (APC-Niger).
While presenting his motion, Modibo mentioned that all attempts to rescue the victims had been unsuccessful thus far, necessitating immediate intervention by federal and state disaster response teams.
He expressed concern about reports of the death of numerous miners during the rescue operations, highlighting the need for the deployment of additional specialized rescue experts to the site.
To prevent further loss of life, he stressed the importance of having more safety measures and emergency equipment available at the mining companies.
Accepting the motion, the House called on the Ministry of Solid Minerals to promptly dispatch more Emergency Response Specialists to the mining site for effective and successful rescue operations.
It urged its Committee on Solid Minerals to scrutinize the operational legitimacy of Africa Minerals and Logistics Company Ltd.
The House also called for an investigation into the root causes of the accident and a reassessment of the existing mining safety regulations.
