By MARTHA AGAS

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has ordered the sealing of a mining site located in Zurak, Wase Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.

Alake gave the directive in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wase LGA Chairman, Hamisu Anani, confirmed that at least 37 miners died and 25 were hospitalised in the early hours of Tuesday.The victims were exposed to gaseous emissions while allegedly mining at an underground mining site in Zurak.

The minister said the closure of areas covered by Mining Licence 11810 operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited owned by Abdullahi Dan-China in Zuraq, was necessary to contain the situation and conduct investigations.

He said that he had dispatched a team of officials and investigators led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yusuf Yabo to probe the remote and immediate causes of the incident and recommend sanctions.

According to him, the team also includes experts in mining, environmental compliance and artisanal cooperatives.

He assured that he was co-ordinating the team and the support services to ensure effective management of the situation.

“The actions were taken as preliminary reports indicated that the company ceded the pit where the incident took place to the community to mine following agitations by villagers for empowerment.

“It was gathered that the area was an abandoned Lead site with the stored mineral prone to emissions of sulphuric oxide.

“Unaware of the poisonous nature of the emissions, the villagers reportedly engaged in extraction while inhaling the gaseous substance.

“ML 11810 lies between longitudes 10.34.45, and 10.35.50 and latitudes 9.13.45, 9.14.40,” he said.

Alake said more updates would be provided as investigations progress.

He condoled with Plateau governor, Caleb Mutfwang, over the loss , describing it as an unfortunate incident of innocent citizens who died trying to earn a living. (NAN)