The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has attributed an explosion that occurred at a mining site in Niger State to illegal stockpiling of dynamites.

Alake made this known in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Monday, January 27, 2025.

The explosion was reported at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, located in Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State on Sunday.

The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, said three lives had been lost, several others were injured, and more than 40 houses destroyed.

Arah stated that some parked vehicles were also affected.

Speaking on the incident, Alake said preliminary investigations revealed that the explosion was caused by the illegal stockpiling of explosives by one Yushua Maikampala, a resident of New Bussa.

He said Maikampala was believed to have been involved in purchasing and storing explosives and their accessories in a house in Sabo Pegi.

1 dead, 6 injured in Niger State dynamite explosion

The minister directed the dispatch of officials of the Federal Mines Office in Niger State to the blast site for an on-the-spot assessment.

Alake directed relevant ministry officials, including the Mines Inspectorate Department, to carry out a forensic analysis of soil samples collected from the blast site to determine the source of the explosives.

He said the analysis would guide the next course of action.

Alake conveyed his condolences to the victims, describing the incident as avoidable.

“Security agencies have been put on the trail of the suspected culprit. He will be apprehended to face justice,” he added.

The minister noted that the federal government was committed to ensuring that mining operators adhered to strict environmental and safety standards to avert a recurrence of the incident.

The Star