The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has ordered the immediate sealing of a mining site in Zuraq, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, following the death of 37 miners.

The directive was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Chairman of Wase LGA, Hamisu Anani, confirmed that at least 37 miners died while 25 others were hospitalised in the early hours of Tuesday.

The victims were reportedly exposed to toxic gaseous emissions while mining at an underground site in Zurak.

Alake said the affected area falls under Mining Licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China.

He explained that the closure was necessary to contain the situation and allow for a full investigation.

He said he had dispatched a team of officials and investigators led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yusuf Yabo, to determine both the remote and immediate causes of the incident and to recommend appropriate sanctions.

According to the minister, the team includes experts in mining, environmental compliance and artisanal cooperatives. He added that he is personally coordinating efforts to ensure effective management of the situation.

“The actions were taken as preliminary reports indicated that the company ceded the pit where the incident took place to the community to mine following agitations by villagers for empowerment,” Alake said.

“It was gathered that the area was an abandoned lead site with stored minerals prone to emissions of sulphuric oxide.

“Unaware of the poisonous nature of the emissions, the villagers reportedly engaged in extraction while inhaling the gaseous substance.”

The minister also provided the coordinates of the affected Mining Licence 11810 area, saying it lies between longitudes 10.34.45 and 10.35.50 and latitudes 9.13.45 and 9.14.40.

Alake assured that further updates would be made available as investigations continue.

He condoled with Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, describing the tragedy as “an unfortunate incident of death of innocent citizens trying to earn a living.”