A fatal collapse at a mining site in the Enyim Agalegu community has sparked concerns over safety and illegal mining.
The incident involved miners who were allegedly operating at a site owned by a private company, despite being told the area was unsafe.
Before the accident, community leaders had asked the government and the company to let them take over the pit for "controlled mining." Their request was rejected because the pit was considered a death trap.
Officials say that despite the area being off-limits, some individuals continued to enter the site illegally to search for minerals.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Chidi Onyia, visited the scene and clarified that the site was still "active" under a private lease, meaning the government couldn't simply hand it over to the locals.
Interestingly, the Ebonyi State Police noted that as of Sunday, no official report about the deaths or injuries had been formally filed with them by the community or the company.
