Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has ordered the suspension of all activities at a mine following a carbon monoxide leak that killed 38 miners and left 25 others hospitalized in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria.
Preliminary reports suggest that toxic gas accumulated in poorly ventilated tunnels, causing workers to collapse near the end of their night shift. Villagers, reportedly unaware of the danger, were manually extracting minerals and inhaled the poisonous fumes, resulting in fatalities.
The site, an abandoned lead mine operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited, contains mineral deposits known to emit sulphur oxide. Security personnel have sealed off the mine, located South-East of the state capital Jos, as investigations continue to determine the cause of the leak.
The incident has reignited concerns over artisanal and company-backed mining activities, particularly in rural areas where safety standards, environmental oversight and emergency preparedness are often inadequate.
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