Nine miners die after heavy rain floods Bauchi mining pit

At least nine miners lost their lives when intense rainfall inundated a mining pit operated by Zurfi Mining Company in Nahuta village, Gwana District, Alkaleri Local Government Area, Bauchi State. Security analyst Zagazola Makama shared the information on X. According to him, the flooding happened at about 9:45 p.m. on September 26, 2026, as contracted workers were on duty at Pit 3 of the site. The downpour submerged the pit and left multiple workers trapped below ground. The Bauchi State Police Command reported that one of the miners, known only as Abner, was said to have been electrocuted during the flooding. He was pulled out and taken to General Hospital Kashere in nearby Gombe State, where a doctor confirmed he had died. After the flooding, the Divisional Police Officer for Alkaleri, the DPO, led a team to the site to help rescue those trapped. The mining firm also brought three water pumps to remove water from the pit and create access for the miners. Makama stated that following coordinated rescue operations by police and local vigilantes, eight more victims were found at roughly 11:20 a.m. on September 27, and doctors at General Hospital Kashere declared all of them dead. The deceased were named 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 Muazu, 23, from Bauchi State; Jafar Abbas, 24, from Bauchi State; Jose Ukese, 28, from Nasarawa State; and Haruna Alkali, 30, from Kebbi State. Police said post-mortem examinations were carried out before the bodies were handed over to their families for burial according to their religious customs. The command added that investigations were continuing to determine what led to the incident. Initial findings showed the mining company was properly registered and licensed. However, more investigation is expected to establish whether adequate safety measures were in place when the pit was flooded.