Eleven Children Buried Alive in Nigeria Sand Pit Collapse

In Kaduna, Nigeria, eleven children aged four to nine died when a sand pit collapsed while they were working. Seven others were injured, and an investigation is underway into potential child labor violations. This tragedy spotlights ongoing issues surrounding informal madrassas and the risks children face in such settings.

In a tragic incident on Tuesday, eleven children were buried alive in a sand pit collapse in northern Nigeria, as reported by local police. The children, aged between four and nine years, were reportedly excavating sand for mud bricks when the pit near Yardoka village in Kaduna state gave way.

Mansir Hassan, the police spokesperson for Kaduna state, confirmed the fatal situation: “Eleven of the children died and seven others were injured and now in hospital receiving treatment.” Rescuers, including police and local volunteers, worked to recover the victims from the pit soon after the collapse.

Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the children’s work, particularly if it constitutes child labor. According to Hassan, the children were associated with an informal madrassa, an Islamic religious school, commonly found in the predominantly Muslim regions of northern Nigeria.

Many children from economically disadvantaged families attend these madrassas to learn the Koran, often engaging in begging or performing low-wage labor to help cover their education costs. Efforts to reform this traditional system of education have sparked conflict with conventional clerics who are resistant to changes.

This is not the first tragic incident involving children in such situations. Earlier this year, in February, a fire in a madrassa’s lodging in northwestern Zamfara state resulted in the death of 17 pupils and injured as many as 17 others, drawing further attention to the vulnerabilities of children in these environments.

The unfortunate collapse of the sand pit in Kaduna state highlights the dangerous conditions faced by children in informal labor situations, particularly in areas where traditional educational systems exist. Ongoing investigations will shed light on whether these practices amount to child labor, as reforms continue to be resisted by some community leaders. The loss of young lives in this incident echoes the need for safer environments for all children, especially those attending madrassas.

Original Source: thesun.my