BREAKING: Tragedy in Zamfara — 10 Killed, Others Injured as Mining Site Collapses Amid Rising Tensions Over Gold Rush

A fresh wave of tragedy has struck Zamfara State as at least 10 persons lost their lives and five others sustained varying degrees of injuries following the collapse of an illegal mining site in Kadauri village, Maru Local Government Area.

The incident, which occurred after heavy downpours weakened the already fragile soil, left miners trapped beneath rubble and debris. Local rescue efforts were still ongoing at the time of filing this report, with fears that the death toll could climb higher.

“So far, ten bodies have been recovered. The injured have been rushed to a nearby health facility,” a source at the scene confirmed.

Kadauri, like several mining communities across Zamfara, is plagued by both illegal mining operations and violent banditry. Authorities confirmed that all victims were engaged in unlawful mining activities at the time of the collapse. Safety measures, according to eyewitnesses, were practically non-existent despite clear warnings about the unstable terrain.

This deadly collapse highlights the growing dangers associated with the gold rush sweeping across the North-West, where desperate locals risk their lives daily in search of fortune amid poverty, insecurity, and lack of regulation.

The Zamfara disaster comes just days after deadly clashes in Kebbi State over control of the Marrarabar Yauri gold mining site. The violence erupted last Saturday when a miner was killed during a dispute between foreign and local miners. In retaliation, the victim’s relatives launched a counterattack, unleashing chaos in the community.

Shops were looted, motorcycles torched, and terrified residents fled for their lives. In the aftermath, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, condemned the exploitation of residents at the site, likening their treatment to “slavery.”

The Yauri Local Government Council has since imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew (10 p.m. – 7 a.m.) to restore order, while security operatives continue to patrol the volatile area to forestall further bloodshed.

The twin tragedies in Zamfara and Kebbi highlight Nigeria’s deepening mining crisis — where poverty, insecurity, weak regulation, and foreign exploitation intersect. As families mourn their dead and communities reel from violence, experts warn that unless urgent action is taken, the nation’s quest for mineral wealth may continue to come at a deadly cost.