By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
Shock and grief swept across the country on Monday as the Federal Government’s public enlightenment arm raised alarm over Nigeria’s dangerous mining culture following a deadly accident that wiped out dozens of workers in Plateau State.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) condemned the tragedy at Kanpani Zurak community in Wase Local Government Area, where more than 35 miners lost their lives in a catastrophic incident now described as preventable.
Reacting to the disaster, the Director-General of the agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the scale of the deaths was unacceptable in a modern society and demanded urgent enforcement of safety regulations across mining sites nationwide.
Issa-Onilu warned that negligence, illegal mining and weak compliance culture continue to turn mining fields into death traps.
According to him, the risks associated with unregulated excavation and poor protective measures far outweigh the economic gains operators chase.
He noted that reckless practices often end in explosions, infernos and mass fatalities exactly what occurred in the Plateau disaster.
“The loss of lives is avoidable.
Safety compliance must become a national priority,” he stressed.
The agency extended condolences to families of the victims and the mining community, describing the incident as a collective national tragedy.
“We mourn the loss of our compatriots and stand in solidarity with their families, the state and Nigeria as a whole,” the DG said.
He urged citizens to reject unsafe practices and cooperate with authorities to prevent repeated mass casualties.
The NOA demanded immediate action from regulators and stakeholders in the mining sector, insisting routine monitoring and strict enforcement must replace the culture of after-the-fact condolences.
The agency called for:
Stronger inspections of mining sites
Enforcement of safety standards
Compliance monitoring nationwide
Issa-Onilu warn that unless urgent reforms are implemented, similar disasters could recur across mining communities.
Monday’s warning signals are growing in the federal concern that Nigeria’s expanding mining sector may also be breeding preventable deaths unless safety becomes non-negotiable.
