The incident occurred on Monday, June 3, 2024 following heavy rainfall in Niger state, but news was slow to emerge due to the country's general strike, which was called off on Tuesday.
According to Niger state emergency service agency spokesman Hussaini Ibrahim who spoke to the BBC, one person has been confirmed dead, and over 30 people are believed to be still trapped.
Six persons were rescued and rushed to the hospital, while four excavators and rescue workers are on site trying to help those trapped.
"As of this morning [Wednesday] we believe over 30 people are still trapped, we can't give you exact figures because even those on site didn’t know," said Mr Ibrahim.
“One person has been confirmed dead and six persons were rescued and rushed to the hospital.”
Officials attribute the collapse to the torrential rains that softened the soil. Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake has assured that officials of the Mines Inspectorate have been sent to the mining site in Galadima Kogo to investigate the causes of the disaster and ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
In January, a deadly blast in Ibadan killed two people and injured 77 others, reportedly caused by explosives stored by illegal miners.
This incident highlights the frequent mining accidents in Nigeria, many of which involve illegal miners and go unreported.
The rescue efforts continue, with the nation holding its breath for the safe recovery of the trapped miners.