By Steven Atokolo
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to take immediate steps to address the growing safety, environmental and humanitarian concerns arising from unsafe coal mining activities in Ankpa and other coal-producing communities in Kogi State, following a landslide that claimed 20 lives.
The resolution came after the upper chamber on Tuesday adopted a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), who blamed poor mining practices and inadequate regulatory oversight for the recurring accidents in the area.
Leading the debate, Senator Jibrin said coal mining remains a key economic activity in Ankpa Local Government Area, especially in the communities of Enjema, Okaba and Ikah, as well as parts of Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas located within the Ankpa Coal Block of the Anambra Basin.
He explained that the region’s coal deposits are covered by unstable geological materials, including laterite, sandstone, mudstone, clay and shale, making the terrain highly vulnerable to subsidence, landslides and ground collapse, particularly under heavy mining operations.
The lawmaker recalled that on July 14, 2026, a devastating landslide struck Alufele in Enjema District, trapping artisanal and small-scale miners underground, while several trucks reportedly sank into mining pits during loading activities.
He said the incident resulted in the deaths of 20 miners and left several others injured, highlighting the dangerous conditions under which many operators work.
Jibrin attributed the frequent mining accidents to unsafe extraction methods, particularly the use of the room-and-pillar mining system without adequate structural support such as timber, steel or concrete reinforcements.
He also raised concerns over the location of heavy-duty loading points close to unstable mining pits, warning that the practice increases the likelihood of ground failure and endangers miners, truck operators and nearby communities.
The senator lamented that many artisanal miners operate without formal employment contracts or social protection, leaving them without health insurance, life insurance, occupational hazard cover or any financial safety net.
He further expressed concern that victims of mining accidents and their families are often denied adequate compensation and rehabilitation despite the significant economic value generated from the country’s solid mineral resources.
According to him, the absence of compulsory insurance and enforceable compensation mechanisms places the burden of mining accidents entirely on vulnerable families who lose their breadwinners.
Citing international best practices, Jibrin noted that many mining countries operate mandatory workers’ compensation and occupational health insurance schemes that guarantee medical care, rehabilitation, disability benefits and compensation for miners and the families of those who die in the course of their duties.
He warned that unless urgent interventions are introduced, the unstable geological conditions and unsafe mining practices in the Ankpa Coal Block could trigger more mine collapses, loss of lives, environmental degradation and destruction of valuable mining assets.
Following its deliberations, the Senate adopted several resolutions aimed at improving safety standards and protecting mine workers across the country.
The Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, through its Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASMD), to carry out a nationwide audit of licensed miners and their operational sites to strengthen regulation and monitoring.
Lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to establish a statutory Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme, funded through mandatory contributions from licensed mining operators, to cater for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths arising from mining activities.
The Senate further urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in partnership with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to develop compulsory occupational accident insurance for all categories of miners, including artisanal and small-scale operators working under recognised cooperatives and community mining arrangements.
It also recommended the establishment of a Mine Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical treatment, rehabilitation services, compensation for injured miners, educational assistance for children of deceased miners and livelihood support for affected families.
To ensure implementation of the resolutions, the Senate mandated its Committees on Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Health to engage the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and report back within six weeks.
The chamber also observed a minute’s silence in memory of the 20 miners who lost their lives in the Alufele landslide, while reiterating the need for comprehensive reforms to strengthen safety standards, protect mine workers and prevent future mining disasters in Nigeria.
