By Yusuf Boluwatife
No fewer than three miners have reportedly died and several persons severely injured after a mining site collapsed in Logo Local Government of Benue State on Tuesday.
The said incident happened when the miners, who had reported for work, were digging and trying to excavate lead.
The PUNCH, quoting a source, reported that the people had been there for over three months mining lead.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Logo LGA, Terseer Agber, said four people were trapped in the pit.
Agber, however, said he could not tell if the miners were operating in the area legally or not.
He said, “I don’t know anything about their activities. They just came here with their papers and the chiefs gave them papers to start work.
“Very early in the morning today (Tuesday), I was informed that about four people were trapped in a mining pit. So, I directed that they should try and do something and later on, they came back and reported that they recovered three bodies and one person injured.
“The state government is aware of their activities in the area. Governor Samuel Ortom sent two commissioners, including that of Agriculture as well as Lands and Survey. The miners said they had no dealing with the state government, that they collected their licence from Abuja and it’s the prerogative of the Federal Government.”
