Niger State map
By Akeem Atoyebi
Less than one week after a fuel tanker explosion rocked Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, killing over 100 people and injuring 69 others, another explosion has reportedly occured in the state, this time at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegu Local Government Area.
The blast reportedly happened in the early hours of Sunday when miners had just resumed work at the site.
The explosion was said to have sent shockwaves through Sabon Pegi and neighbouring villages, including New Bussa, the headquarters of Borgu Local Government Area, leaving people scrambling for safety.
A source close to the community, who confirmed the incident to this medium over the phone, said although the cause of the explosion could not be immediately ascertained, poor handling of explosive devices used by the mining company in the area for their operations might have been responsible for the blast.
According to the source, four bodies have been recovered from the scene, but the number of casualties could be higher. “The explosion occurred when the miners were just resuming work in the morning.
“Everybody is afraid to go close to the area for now because nobody knows what will happen next, especially when we don’t know what must have triggered the explosion that shook the entire village, including New Bussa.
“People were just running into the bush because initially, they thought the explosion was from the hydroelectricity dam in the area, as it was very loud. It was later that we were told the explosion occurred at a mining site at Sabon Pegi in Mashegu Local Government Area, which shares a border with some villages in Borgu Local Government Area,” the source added.
He, however, ruled out any possible link to a terrorist attack, stressing: “No, the explosion occurred at a mining site. The mining company usually uses explosive devices for mining activities, so it must be poor handling of these devices that resulted in the explosion.
“Although there is a history of terrorist activities in the area, this incident has nothing to do with terrorists. There is serious mining activity going on in that particular village, and it has been ongoing for a long time,” he said.
Meanwhile, there is no statement yet from either the state government or the state police command on the latest incident at the time of filing this report.
