The Honourable Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Justin Beshel, has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire Obanliku community for the tragic incident that occurred in Shikpeche, Bishiri North Ward on March 18th 2024.
According to Dr Justin Beshel, preliminary investigations indicate that the accident which resulted in the death of 2 abled youths, leaving 3 unconscious,
occurred while some youths were digging for the recently discovered solid mineral and tourmaline in Shikpeche, an Obanliku village sharing a boundary with Benue State.
As a result of this unfortunate incident, Dr Beshel noted that has been actively pursuing ways to ensure that local miners in Obanliku comply with safety regulations to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
Beshel also noted that he has been in contact with the Commissioner for Solid Minerals to bring order to the growing artisanal mining sector in Obanliku and the state at large.
Furthermore, Dr Beshel urged the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to take immediate action in implementing and formulating new policies that will regulate the activities of miners in the area and prevent a reoccurrence of similar accidents.
He also assured his commitment to ensuring the safety of all those involved in mining activities in Obanliku and will continue to work tirelessly towards implementing measures that will prevent such unfortunate incidents from happening in the future.
