The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of a mining site in Plateau State following a deadly gas leak that reportedly claimed 37 lives during artisanal mining operations in Zurak, Wase Local Government Area.

According to reports by security analyst Zagazola Makama, about 25 others were hospitalised after inhaling suspected carbon monoxide in poorly ventilated underground tunnels. The victims, mostly young men aged between 20 and 35, were said to have been conducting routine manual mining when the toxic gases accumulated in the abandoned pit.

Reacting to the tragedy, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, directed the suspension of all activities under Mining Licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the minister expressed deep sorrow during a condolence visit to Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, describing the victims as “innocent citizens trying to earn a living.”

Alake also deployed a high-level investigative panel led by Permanent Secretary Yusuf Yabo to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the incident. The team includes experts in mining regulation, environmental compliance and artisanal mining cooperatives, with a mandate to recommend sanctions where necessary.

Preliminary findings indicate the abandoned lead mining pit—prone to sulphuric oxide emissions—had allegedly been ceded to the host community. Unaware of the toxic risks, villagers reportedly resumed manual extraction, leading to fatal exposure.

The Plateau mining disaster underscores growing concerns over abandoned mine pits, illegal mining in Nigeria and weak enforcement of environmental remediation obligations. Experts warn that unsafe artisanal mining, particularly in rural communities facing economic hardship, continues to pose serious public health and environmental threats.

The Federal Government says further updates will follow as investigations progress.