Eleven children were buried alive when a sandpit collapsed during excavation work in a Kaduna community, leaving families and residents devastated by the tragic loss.
The children, whose ages ranged from four to nine, were reportedly digging sand for mud brick production in aid of their Islamic teacher’s building project, when the pit suddenly gave way, burying them alive.
Following the collapse, community members quickly rallied around and attempted a rescue operation, but they were largely unsuccessful in saving the children trapped under the sandpit.
The fatalities included Muntari Abdulkadir, Aliyu Abba, Ali Umar, Mubarak Haruna, Usain Isa, Yusuf Shafiu, Mujitafa Jibril, Yusha’u Saidu, Aliyu Abdu, Hamisu Mohammed, and Ali Abdulmomini, all of whom came from Yardoka and neighbouring villages in the Damau District.
However, seven survivors, Umar Dini, Jibir Surajo, Usman Abdulmomini, Sagir Hussaini, Naziru Abdullahi, Aminu Alkasim, and Kabiru Lawal, sustained injuries and are currently being treated at the Yardoka Primary Health Center.
In response to the incident, the Kaduna State Police Spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, who confirmed the tragedy revealed that authorities are probing the possibility of child labour violations.
“We are investigating whether the children were recruited to work, which would be considered child labour,” he stated.
The incident has since reignited debates about the conditions in which northern children live and work, especially as many are enrolled in unregulated religious schools with little oversight and are often exposed to hazardous environments.
