Five women tragically lost their lives after an illegal mining pit collapsed in Budu village, Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State. The devastating incident, which occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, left the community in shock and highlighted the severe dangers associated with unregulated mining activities.

The victims, all residents from Budu and Panbi villages, were identified as Tani Abubakar, who was reportedly pregnant, along with Farida Mustapha, Farida Sule, Khadijat Abdullahi, and Zainab Usman. Sources, including security analyst Zagazola Malama, confirmed these identities and the details of the collapse.

Following the incident, security operatives were promptly dispatched to the scene. They undertook the grim task of exhuming the victims from the caved-in mining site. The five women were then rushed to the General Hospital in Paiko, where they were unfortunately confirmed dead upon arrival. Their bodies have since been deposited at the hospital, awaiting a formal autopsy to determine the precise causes of death.

Authorities have initiated investigations into the fatal collapse. Concurrently, a stern warning has been issued to residents, cautioning them against engaging in illegal mining activities due to the significant and often life-threatening risks involved. While a police source from the Paikoro Police Division corroborated the incident when speaking to SaharaReporters, the Police Public Relations Officer of Niger State Command, Wasiu Abiodun, indicated that he needed additional time to thoroughly verify the details of the tragic event.