Two siblings Umar Muhammad and Ibrahim Muhammad have been confirmed dead after drowning in an excavation site operated by Kenyang Mining Company, a Chinese-owned firm in Nasarawa.
As gathered, the tragic incident occurred after the two children, aged 7 and 9, followed their cousin to the excavation site, commonly referred to by residents as a ‘paddock’, to wash clothes.
The abandoned mining site located at Udege Mbeki Local Government Area of the state, was said to have been filled with stagnant water, as a result of heavy rainfall, creating a trap for unaware children.
According to Dauda Kana, Chairman of Afo Youth Mobility, in a statement yesterday, the deaths of the two boys plunged the villagers, including the families of the deceased, into deep sorrow.
Kana, while commiserating with the victims’ relatives, attributed the tragedy to Kenyang Mining Company’s failure to reclaim the 50-meter setback after years of excavation, citing the company’s negligence as a direct contributor to the unsafe conditions that led to the children’s deaths.”
“As a result, Afo Youth Mobility (officially registered as Afo Youth Mentorship Initiative) alongside nine others took the company to the Nasarawa State High Court to seek legal interpretation of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) signed on September 26, 2021, between the Udege community and the mining firm.” Kana explained.
He added that the court, presided over by Justice Rose G. Soji in Keffi, had granted an interim injunction on November 19, 2024, barring the company from any further mining activity or harassment of the community until the matter was resolved.
As a result of this, he stated that the parties reached an out-of-court settlement, resulting in a consent judgment granted on March 4, 2025.
According to him, the judgment included legally binding terms, such as, submission of a detailed reclamation plan for the 50-meter setback within one year of further excavation, repair of the Udege Mbeki–Gada Hudu road and provision of essential amenities—including boreholes, electricity, hospital, school, and police post—at the community’s relocation site among others.
“Sadly, the joy that accompanied the judgment has now turned to grief. This tragic loss shows the urgent need for the company to begin immediate reclamation of the abandoned paddocks before more lives are lost”, he stated.
The youth leader further warned that Afo Youth Mobility would not hesitate to return to court to enforce the terms of the consent judgment if the company continues to renege on its obligations.
Kana also urged the Nasarawa State Government to strengthen its regulatory oversight, ensuring strict adherence to the Mining Act and holding mining companies accountable for the safety and well-being of host communities.
