The Ebonyi State Government has launched a full-scale investigation into the tragic collapse of a mining pit at Ihietutu community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area, which claimed two lives and left three others injured last Friday.
Chidi Onyia, commissioner for Solid Minerals, disclosed this during a fact-finding visit to the site alongside officials of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals, security agencies, and company representatives. He said that the government was committed to unravelling the true cause of the incident while ensuring justice for the affected families.
Onyia, while addressing journalists and some of the community members at the scene, said initial observations suggest the accident was a natural occurrence rather than outright negligence by the operators of the site, Greenfield Metals Ltd.
“Mining comes with a lot of hazards, and it’s the same everywhere in the world,” Onyia said. “From South Africa to Australia, Canada and even the USA where you have best practices, incidents like this still happen. That does not exonerate miners from carelessness, but from what we are seeing here, this was more of a natural event than recklessness.”
The commissioner lamented the loss of lives, describing the incident as painful for both government and community. “It’s quite unfortunate that what happened here took the lives of two of our people. We commiserate with their families, and also those who sustained injuries. As a government, our primary responsibility is to protect lives, but in cases like this, there are factors beyond human control,” he stated.
Onyia, however, criticized the rush by some groups to issue statements condemning the company without visiting the site. “Unfortunately, most of those who released press statements never engaged with the families or visited the locus. It is easy to condemn from a distance, but when you come here you understand the realities better,” he explained.
He noted that contrary to misinformation, the company was carrying out open-cast mining and not underground mining, and had already deployed heavy equipment on site before the incident. “Mining is capital-intensive, and we must be considerate of the burdens these miners face. That doesn’t mean lives can be replaced, but we should balance judgment with facts,” he said.
The commissioner revealed that the site has been sealed pending the outcome of investigations. “On the directive of the federal mines officer, we have shut down this mining pit. Proper investigations must be carried out before we conclude. Already, the police, DSS, civil defence and all relevant agencies are on ground. This is a collaborative effort between the state and federal government,” Onyia added.
He further clarified that Greenfield Metals holds a valid license from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals. “I investigated their papers myself, and I can confirm the license is active and functional. The state government does not issue licenses; that is the sole responsibility of the federal ministry. For the avoidance of doubt, we do not tolerate illegal mining in Ebonyi,” Onyia emphasized.
Onyia also highlighted the complexities of regulating artisanal miners and community expectations. “Most of the workers in these sites are locals who see it as their entitlement to work there. You can’t entirely blame them; people will go wherever they can earn a living. But sometimes their recklessness contributes to accidents. That is why regulation is critical,” he said.
He assured that the government would hold the company accountable if negligence is established. “If findings show that the miner failed to adhere to safety rules under the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and Mining Regulation 2011, decisive action will be taken. But if it is truly a natural landslide, then we must accept it as an act of nature,” Onyia stressed.
Henry Ahanotu, Chief Executive Officer of Greenfield Metals Ltd. expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as an unforeseen tragedy. “The incident was as a result of a natural landslide. It was quite unfortunate that some of our workers were affected. We always maintain strict health, safety and environment standards, and our site is one of the safest you can find,” he said.
Ahanotu explained that the company employs engineers and geologists to monitor safety and conducts regular inspections. “We have mining engineers and geologists who ensure workers adhere to safety rules. What happened came as a surprise. We have reached out to the families of the deceased and injured. Our company also runs scholarship and empowerment programs in this community, and many of our staff are locals,” he added.
The Greenfield boss pledged that the firm would investigate further to prevent a recurrence. “We try to prevent landslides because we know they are part of mining risks worldwide. But this one caught us unawares. We are taking steps to understand why it happened and ensure it does not repeat itself,” he assured.
Community leaders also voiced their feelings.
Fabian Chukwu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ihietutu Town Union Development, described the tragedy as a heavy loss. “We feel very bad as a community. We send our condolences to the families because no one knows what those who died would have become tomorrow,” he said.
He, however, commended the cordial relationship between the company and the community. “Greenfield Metals has been empowering our people. They built the road leading to the site and promptly fulfil community obligations. That’s why our people rallied around the company when this incident happened. Something like this has never happened before here,” Chukwu explained.
He attributed the accident partly to seasonal conditions. “This is raining season, and cracks from overburden layers could cause landslides. While workers are expected to be vigilant, it doesn’t mean the company was careless. We know what happened and we are not blaming them,” he noted.
As Ebonyi State and federal authorities continue their probe, the community and company remain united in grief, hoping that lessons from the incident will strengthen safety measures and avert similar occurrences in the future.
