Tragedy struck in Ebonyi State at the weekend when a mining pit collapsed at Ajirija lead site in Ihietutu, Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area, killing two people and leaving three others injured.
According to police spokesman SP Joshua Ukandu, five persons were involved in the accident. “The first victim died on the spot, another in hospital. The three others have since been discharged,” he said.
Local sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the site has been parcelled out to unlicensed operators who run mining without professional supervision. They recalled a similar collapse earlier this year that claimed two lives but attracted no sanctions.
“The tragedies usually end with the police. No one is ever punished,” a resident said.
Site leaseholder Henry Ahanaotu confirmed the deaths but defended the practice of subletting the mine as a form of youth empowerment. He insisted that the operator, identified as Mrs Lovelyn Victor, used excavators and followed “safety principles,” though he admitted he had not inspected the site since the collapse.
Mining safety advocates disagreed. The Chairperson of the Federation of Women Miners, Mrs Sylvia Ogbuinya, stressed that Victor was not a registered member of the group. “We provide training on safety standards for our members. We doubt whether she complies with environmental or safety requirements,” she said, urging a full police probe.
Community leaders warned that recurring pit collapses posed dangers both to residents and the environment. “Illegal miners only chase profit, ignoring regulatory standards,” one resident said.
They appealed to state and federal mining authorities to intensify enforcement against illegal operations, warning that families in Ihietutu were being left in “constant agony” by repeated tragedies.
