Alake inaugurates 18-man panel to probe Plateau mine disaster
The Federal Government has suspended the operations of Solid Unit Mining Company Limited following a catastrophic gas poisoning incident at its site in Zurak, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau
The Federal Government has suspended the operations of Solid Unit Mining Company Limited following a catastrophic gas poisoning incident at its site in Zurak, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The disaster, which occurred on February 18, resulted in the deaths of 37 people and left 20 others hospitalised.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, yesterday inaugurated an 18-member committee in Abuja to probe the incident.
The minister tasked the committee to uncover the root causes of the leak and gave it 21 days to submit its findings.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Faruk Yusuf Yabo, the minister noted that the nature of the Zurak incident was uniquely alarming, compared to typical mining accidents.
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“This particular incident is rare and a departure from the often-reported cases of ground caving-in, pit collapse, mudslide, or fall of wall that unfortunately occur from time to time at mining sites,” he said.
“It is for this reason that a thorough and incisive inquest is needed to uncover the immediate and remote causes of this incident and to forestall future occurrences.” Alake said the suspension of the mining firm would remain in effect until the committee’s report is submitted and its recommendations are formally accepted.
The minister said preliminary information indicated a “combination of factors,” including poor health and safety compliance, weak enforcement by regulatory authorities, and “apparent carelessness” by the operator and local youths who were working on a ceded portion of the mining lease.
“As painful as this may be, it should serve as a wake-up call for everyone saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that our minefields are safe and secure,” Alake said.
“We must ensure that this incident is not merely a statistic but a stark and painful reminder that neglecting safety erodes trust.”
The 18-man committee, co-chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yabo, and Plateau State Commissioner for Environment, Climate Change, and Mineral Development, Peter Gwom, was given a 10-point mandate to guide its members.
The committee is to provide a detailed technical description of the gaseous emissions, identify the technical experts and principal buyers associated with the mine, to assess the security situation in the Wase/Zurak axis and to review the company’s compliance with environmental and financial obligations to the Federal Government.
Frank Odoom, who represented the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, told the committee members that their work was a debt to the victims of the tragedy.
“The lives lost must not be in vain; rather, they should serve as a catalyst for lasting reforms in Plateau State and the Nigeria mining sector as a whole,” Odoom said.
The committee is expected to provide actionable recommendations to reinforce safety protocols and restore public confidence in the mining industry, ensuring that such a tragedy never recurs on Nigerian soil.
