One person has been confirmed dead, several others injured, and 30 persons including the site manager still trapped as a mining pit collapsed in the Galkago community of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency Abdullahi Baba’arah in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna, revealed the mining pit was reported to have collapsed around Monday afternoon.

According to authorities, 30 persons including the site manager whose name was given as Ibrahim Isyaku are still trapped in the collapse pit. Rescue operation is made worse due to the presence of bandits within the general mining area.

However, authorities have deployed excavators to the mining site to remove debris and rescue those trapped.

Shiroro local government is blessed with abundant gold deposits in Niger. It is also the epicentre of banditry and terrorism activities in Niger State.