By Abbas Nazil
At least 33 miners have died following a suspected carbon-monoxide leak at a lead and zinc mine in central Nigeria’s Plateau state.
The incident occurred just before sunrise at a mining site outside the town of Wase operated by Solid Unity Nigeria Ltd.
Toxic gas is believed to have accumulated in poorly ventilated underground tunnels, causing workers to collapse near the end of their night shift.
According to witnesses who spoke to the BBC, more than 20 additional miners were rescued and transported to a hospital in Wase for treatment after colleagues arriving for the morning shift discovered the victims.
Security forces have since sealed off the site, which lies roughly 200km south-east of the Plateau state capital, Jos, as authorities begin investigations into the cause of the leak.
Plateau state officials said preliminary findings suggested 33 miners were killed in what they described as a blast.
However, workers at the scene disputed that account, insisting the deaths were caused by carbon monoxide rather than an explosion.
Safiyanu Haruna, a miner who arrived for the morning shift and found the bodies, said the incident happened around 06:30 local time after the miners had completed early morning Muslim prayers and returned underground to finish their shift.
He claimed that 37 miners died and said there was no immediate rescue because the incoming shift had not yet fully assembled.
Haruna described the tragedy as devastating for workers who were “struggling to make ends meet.”
The victims, believed to be men aged between 20 and 40, were buried shortly afterwards in line with local Islamic tradition, according to residents.
The disaster has shaken the predominantly Muslim community in the area.
Emergency response efforts were reportedly slowed by security concerns, as armed criminal groups known locally as bandits have been active in parts of Plateau state in recent years.
Mining accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria, where safety standards have long been a source of concern.
Less than two years ago, dozens of gold miners died in neighbouring Niger state after a pit collapsed following heavy rainfall.
The latest tragedy is expected to renew scrutiny of safety practices and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s mining sector.
