Eleven children tragically lost their lives on Monday, when a sand pit collapsed in Yardoka village, Kaduna State. The victims, aged between 10 and 15, were reportedly excavating sand to assist their Quranic teacher in molding blocks for a mud house when the incident occurred around 1:45 p.m.
The deceased hailed from Yardoka and neighboring villages in the Damau District. Seven other children sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to the Primary Healthcare Centre in Yardoka, where they are currently receiving treatment.
A village head, who spoke anonymously, confirmed the details of the incident, stating that nine of the deceased were not from Yardoka but were almajirai who had come with their teacher to study. He emphasized that the area is commonly used by villagers for sand digging when constructing or renovating homes.
The Kaduna State Police Command also confirmed the incident. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, reported that officers were deployed to the scene immediately after receiving a distress call. He added that a full investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
