By Haruna Salami
The Senate on Tuesday called for urgent measures to tackle the worsening safety, environmental and humanitarian challenges posed by unsafe coal mining activities in Ankpa and other coal-bearing communities in Kogi State, following a deadly landslide that claimed 20 lives.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), who warned that unsafe mining practices and weak regulatory oversight have continued to expose miners and surrounding communities to avoidable disasters.
Presenting the motion, Senator Jibrin noted that coal mining remains a major economic activity in Ankpa Local Government Area, particularly in Enjema, Okaba and Ikah communities, as well as parts of Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas within the Ankpa Coal Block of the Anambra Basin.
He explained that the area’s coal deposits lie beneath unstable geological formations comprising lateritic materials, sandstone, mudstone, clay, shale and other unconsolidated sediments that are highly susceptible to subsidence, landslides and ground collapse, especially under heavy mechanical operations.
The senator recalled that on July 14, 2026, a major landslide occurred at Alufele in Enjema District, trapping artisanal and small-scale miners underground while several trucks reportedly sank into mining pits during loading operations.
According to him, the disaster claimed the lives of 20 workers and left several others injured, exposing the dangerous conditions under which many miners currently operate.
Jibrin blamed the recurring accidents on unsafe mining methods, particularly the widespread use of the room-and-pillar mining technique without adequate structural reinforcement using timber, steel or concrete supports.
He also expressed concern over the siting of heavy-duty loading points close to unstable mining pits, warning that the practice further increases the risk of ground failure and threatens the lives of miners, transport operators and nearby residents.
The lawmaker lamented that many artisanal miners work without formal employment contracts or social protection, leaving them without health insurance, life insurance, occupational hazard coverage or any form of financial security.
He further decried the lack of adequate compensation and rehabilitation for victims of mining accidents and their families despite the enormous revenue generated from Nigeria’s solid mineral resources.
According to him, the absence of mandatory insurance and enforceable compensation mechanisms means that bereaved families are often left to bear the burden of industrial accidents alone.
Drawing comparisons with international best practices, Senator Jibrin noted that many leading mining nations have institutionalised compulsory workers’ compensation and occupational health insurance schemes that guarantee medical care, disability benefits, rehabilitation and compensation for miners and their families.
He warned that unless urgent corrective measures are introduced, the unstable geological conditions and unsafe mining practices in the Ankpa Coal Block could lead to more mine collapses, fatalities, environmental degradation and destruction of mining assets.
Following deliberations, the Senate adopted a series of resolutions aimed at improving safety and welfare in the mining sector.
The upper chamber urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, through its Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASMD), to conduct a nationwide audit of licensed miners and their operational sites to strengthen monitoring and regulatory compliance.
The Senate also called on the Federal Government to establish a statutory Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme, financed through mandatory contributions by licensed mining operators, to provide compensation for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths arising from mining activities.
Lawmakers further urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to develop compulsory occupational accident insurance covering all categories of miners, including artisanal and small-scale operators working under recognised cooperatives or community mining arrangements.
The Senate also recommended the establishment of a Mine Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation services, compensation for injured miners, educational support for children of deceased miners and livelihood assistance 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 jointly engage the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and report back to the chamber within six weeks.
As a mark of respect, senators observed a minute’s silence in honour of the 20 victims who lost their lives in the Alufele mine landslide, while reaffirming the need for comprehensive reforms to prevent future mining tragedies and improve the welfare of workers in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
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