A devastating mining accident has claimed the lives of nine workers in Bauchi State after a mining pit was overwhelmed by floodwaters following a heavy downpour, police authorities have confirmed.

The incident occurred at a mining site in Nahuta Village, Gwana District of Alkaleri Local Government Area, where miners were reportedly carrying out routine operations when rising water suddenly inundated the excavation pit.

Spokesperson of the Bauchi State Police Command, Superintendent of Police Nafiu Habib, said the tragedy was reported by Kasim Abdulsalam, Purchase Manager of Zurfi Mining Company.

According to the police, the miners were working at Pit Three of the site on September 25 when torrential rainfall that began earlier in the day triggered severe flooding. The water reportedly rushed into the pit, trapping several workers underground.

While some miners were successfully rescued from the scene, one worker identified as Abner was electrocuted during the emergency and rushed to General Hospital Kashere in neighbouring Gombe State, where doctors confirmed him dead.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Alkaleri mobilised detectives to the site and launched a rescue operation. Authorities deployed water-pumping generators to drain the flooded pit and facilitate the search for the trapped workers.

The operation continued for days before rescuers made a grim discovery on September 28, when the remaining eight trapped miners were recovered from the pit.

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Police said the victims were immediately transported to General Hospital Kashere, but medical personnel confirmed that all eight had died.

The deceased were identified as Hamidu Ali, 40, from Nasarawa State; Saidu Abubakar, 29, from Nasarawa State; Olije Abdulrazak, 25, from Kogi State; Musa Abdullahi, 29, from Bauchi State; Abdulrahman Mu’azu, 23, from Bauchi State; Jafar Abbas, 24, from Bauchi State; Jose Ukese, 28, from Nasarawa State; and Haruna Alkali, 30, from Kebbi State.

The latest recoveries bring the total death toll from the disaster to nine, including the worker who died from electrocution during the rescue efforts.

Police said post-mortem examinations were conducted before the bodies were released to their families for burial in line with their respective religious traditions.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident as concerns grow over safety conditions at mining sites across the country.

The tragedy is one of the deadliest mining-related accidents reported in the region this year and has once again drawn attention to the dangers faced by workers in Nigeria’s mining sector, particularly during the peak of the rainy season.