From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has attributed Sunday’s explosion at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State, to the illegal stockpiling of explosives.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, in Abuja.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion was caused by the illegal stockpiling of explosives by one Yushua Maikampala, a resident of New Bussa.
The statement added that the Minister had dispatched officials of the Federal Mines Office in the state to the blast site for an on-the-spot assessment.
It indicated that Maikampala is suspected of purchasing and storing explosives and accessories in a house in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area.
According to the statement, eyewitnesses reported that the explosion was triggered by an electrical spark around 7:00 AM on Sunday. The blast destroyed the building where the explosives were stored, damaged approximately 20 other houses in the vicinity, and resulted in two confirmed fatalities.
The statement emphasised that Dr. Alake has directed ministry officials, including the Mines Inspectorate Department, to conduct forensic analysis of soil samples collected from the blast site to determine the source of the explosives, which will guide further action.
It also confirmed that security agencies are pursuing the suspected culprit to ensure justice is served.
The statement further explained that the federal government remains committed to ensuring that mining operators adhere to strict environmental and safety standards to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Additionally, the Minister expressed his deepest condolences to the victims, describing the incident as avoidable, given the negligence surrounding the handling and illegal storage of explosives by the alleged culprit.