The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has said preliminary investigations suggested that the explosion that occurred at a mining site in Sabon Pegi in Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State on Sunday was caused by the illegal stockpiling of explosives.
The minister said the preliminary investigations fingered a resident of New Bussa, Yushua Maikampala, as the suspected stockpiler of the explosives.
Maikampala was said to have been involved in purchasing and storing explosives and their accessories in a house at Sabo Pegi in Mashegun Local Government Area.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Segun Tomori, said an eyewitness recounted that the explosion was triggered by an electrical spark around 7 a.m. on Sunday, leading to the destruction of the building where the explosives were stored. The explosion also damaged approximately 20 other houses in the vicinity.
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At least two fatalities have been confirmed.
Alake condoled with the victims, describing the incident as avoidable, given the negligence surrounding the handling and illegal storage of explosives by the suspected stockpiler.
The minister directed relevant ministry officials, including the Mines Inspectorate Department, to carry out forensic analysis of soil samples collected from the blast site to determine the source of the explosives, which would guide the next course of the investigation and other necessary actions.
“Security agencies have been put on the trail of the suspected culprit. He will be apprehended to face justice,” he said.
Alake stressed that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that mining operators adhere to strict environmental and safety standards to avert a recurrence of the unfortunate incident.