An illegal mining site has collapsed in Umai community, Biased Local Government Area of Cross River State, leading to the death of not less than six persons.
GRASSROOT REPORTERS gathered that the unfortunate incident happened on the 17th of January, 2022 while the illegal miners were mining precious stones.
Following the incident, executive chairman of Biase LGA, Hon (Mrs) Ada Charles Egwu, has understook an on-the-spot visit to the site.
According to Egwu, the purpose of her visit was to assess the activities of the illegal miners and also see for herself the reported collapsed site that occurred in the early hours of Monday January 17, 2022.
The local government boss in her remark at the site, said she was saddened by the death of the youth whose lives had been cut short while struggling to make ends meet even as she described the tragic incident as unfortunate.
She condoled with the families of the victims on behalf of the people of Biase local government area, promising to immediately investigate the remote circumstance that led to the unfortunate incident for proper actions to be taken.
On checkmating the activities of illegal miners in the area, Hon. Egwu vowed to constitute a fact-finding committee to investigate their activities in Umai and other sites within the local government area.
She further directed security agencies to seal off the site in order to forestall future occurrence and activities of the illegal miners in the area.
The secretary of Council, Mr. Daniel Enang; special adviser on Security, Hon. Onette Ukam; chief press secretary to the executive chairman, Mr. Oja Egbai, and other political appointees accompanied the local government chairman on the visit.
Others included the Divisional Police Officer, Director of State Security Services (SSS), Officer in-charge of NSCDC and other heads of security agencies in Biase local government area of the State.
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