KABUL: At least 38 miners were killed and 27 others were wounded following an explosion at a lead mine in Nigeria, according to media reports.
Agence France-Presse, cited by AfricaNews, reported that the deadly blast occurred at the Kampanin Zurak mine in the Bashar district of Plateau State.
AFP, citing a confidential security report, said the miners are believed to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning following the explosion.
Authorities have previously linked illegal mining activities to a rise in armed banditry, noting that criminal groups often extort protection payments from miners operating in remote areas.
Fatal mining accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria. In September 2025, at least 18 people were killed in a separate explosion at a mine in Zamfara State, highlighting ongoing safety and security concerns in the country’s mining sector.