Niger pit collapse: 4 more bodies recovered after 2 months

Four more corpses have been recovered from the mining pit that collapsed in Galkogo, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State more than 2 months after the incident.

Daily Trust reported how the mining site managed by the African Minerals and Logistics Limited collapsed on June 3, 2024  trapping many labourers.

Speaking to Daily Trust in Minna, the Niger State capital, the District Head of Galadima-Kogo, Mallam Umar Aliyu, said four more bodies were recovered on Wednesday and deposited at the mortuary of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Specialist Hospital.

Aliyu revealed that the burial for two of the victims had been slated for Friday at the palace of Emir of Minna, while the corpses of the remaining two victims would be taken to their home towns in Nasarawa and Niger states on the requests of their families.

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“Yesterday (Wednesday), four more bodies were recovered from the mining pit that collapsed in my community. Two of the victims were Muslims and they would be buried at the Palace of Emir of Minna on Friday. Two were Christians and one was from Nasarawa State while the other one was from Zumba. Their families have requested that the bodies be released to them for burial.

“The rescue of these four more bodies brings the total number of bodies recovered to 14,” Aliyu explained.

He said families of the victims, especially wives, were yet to recover from the trauma and sad experience, saying that it took support from the community and the mining company to feed them.

“The community is helping the families, especially the wives and children. They are still living in shock that came with the incident. Also, the company manager gave each of the families N200,000,” he added.

He said most of the children of the victims were already out of school because they had lost their fathers who take educational responsibilities.

The district head said the Niger State Government had constituted the committee for the disbursement of N50 million to families of the victims as part of support to enable them feed.