The Ebonyi State government, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines, on Wednesday, sealed a mining site in Ishiagu after a landslide incident that resulted in the deaths of two people.

Briefing journalists at the site in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Council, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Chidi Onyia, said that the sealing of the Greenfield mining site is aimed at conducting thorough investigations to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the recent fatalities. Onyia emphasised the importance of this inquiry, stating that lives are already involved, as the state government will not hastily conclude its findings.

The Commissioner noted that initial reports suggest that the incident was not due to negligence but a natural occurrence, cautioning against hasty statements that have exacerbated tensions within the community.

“It’s quite unfortunate that what happened here took the lives of two of our people working at the mining site. We commiserate with the families and others who were injured. As a government, our primary concern is to protect the lives and well-being of our citizens,” he stated.

The Commissioner further reported that relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Civil Defence Corps, are actively involved in the investigation.

While discussing the nature of mining operations, Onyia acknowledged that incidents can occur globally, even in countries renowned for their mining practices, such as South Africa, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

He urged the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions based on unverified information, saying that most of these people who released press statements neither visited the site nor engaged with the families.

The Commissioner indicated that the mining site in question predominantly employs open-cast methods, harmonising with the government’s advocacy for safer mining practices in the region.