By Joy Onu
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of more than 35 miners at Kanpani Zurak in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, describing the incident as a painful and avoidable tragedy.
In a statement issued on Monday, 23 February 2026, and signed by Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, Communication and Media, the Agency called for the strict enforcement of safety regulations and strengthened protective measures across mining sites nationwide to prevent further loss of lives.
Reacting to the incident, the Director General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the scale of the tragedy was unacceptable in a modern society. He stressed that compliance with established safety rules must be prioritised, noting that the protection of human lives and critical national infrastructure should never be compromised.
Issa-Onilu warned that the risks associated with unauthorised mining operations and substandard safety practices often outweigh any short-term economic gains. According to him, such reckless actions frequently lead to devastating consequences, including explosions and infernos similar to those reported in the Wase incident.
He urged Nigerians to reject practices that continue to result in mass casualties and national grief, maintaining that many of these disasters are preventable when regulations are properly enforced and monitored.
“We mourn the loss of our compatriots in the mining community and extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families. We stand in solidarity with them, with the state, and with Nigeria as a whole,” the NOA Director General stated.
The Agency further called on relevant authorities and stakeholders within the mining sector to intensify routine inspections and strengthen monitoring mechanisms at mining sites across the country, emphasising that proactive enforcement of safety standards remains critical to averting future tragedies.
