At least eleven children have lost their lives after a pile of sand collapsed while they were digging clay in a pit in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. According to local reports, the tragic incident took place in Yardoka village in Kubau district on Monday. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
The victims were Quran school students aged between 10 and 15. They were reportedly sent by their teachers to collect clay to make mud bricks. Seven other children suffered various injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
A local traditional leader said most of those who died were not from Yardoka but had travelled there to study with their teachers. He stressed that the children were not working in commercial brick making but were instead collecting clay for a common community practice.
After an emergency call, security personnel were dispatched to the scene. Kaduna State police spokesman Mansir Hassan confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
Such quarry collapses are rare in Nigeria, but the resource-rich country has seen several fatal mining-related accidents in recent years.