The police in Kano State on Monday said two illegal local miners died as a pit in an illegal mine they were working in collapsed.
The Kano police spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa, told reporters that the incident happened in Bichi Local Government Area of the state.
The police identified the deceased as Sani Sa’idu, 70, and Ibrahim Sale, whose age is yet to be ascertained.
The police said the corpses of the victims were deposited at the Bichi General Hospital.
The spokesperson said the police are investigating the incident.
The two were among thousands of illegal miners who throng mining sites in the state in search of stones, like blue sapphires.
The state government has banned illegal mining activities due to its effect on the environment such as the degradation and pollution of fresh drinking water.