Kehinde Fajobi
An explosion at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State, has been linked to the illegal stockpiling of explosives, according to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.
In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Alake said preliminary investigations revealed that the blast was caused by explosives stored illegally by a resident, Yushua Maikampala, in New Bussa.
Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion, triggered by an electrical spark around 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, destroyed the building housing the explosives and damaged about 20 nearby homes. At least two people were killed.
Alake described the incident as avoidable, condemning the negligence surrounding the illegal handling of explosives.
He expressed condolences to the victims and dispatched Federal Mines Office officials to assess the site.
“Security agencies have been put on the trail of the suspected culprit. He will be apprehended to face justice,” Alake said.
The minister also directed the Mines Inspectorate Department to conduct a forensic analysis of soil samples from the site to trace the explosives’ origin, ensuring stricter enforcement of environmental and safety standards in mining operations to prevent future occurrences.