Three people have lost their lives and four others are recovering from injuries after a mining pit caved in on them in the Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The accident happened on Saturday afternoon at a site where illegal mining was reportedly taking place.
Community members rushed to the scene around 4 p.m. to dig out the victims. While they saved four people, three were already dead by the time they were reached.
This is not the first tragedy at this location; local leaders say five people have now died at this specific site in recent times.
The government and the company managing the site had previously warned that the pit was "too dangerous" for local workers, but some youths continued to sneak in to mine secretly.
State officials blamed the accident on "quick money" and illegal activities, urging residents to value their lives over profit.
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