Federal mines officers mobilized to a collapsed gold pit in Kadauri Village Monday, racing to recover two remaining trapped miners after heavy rains claimed 13 lives in a tragedy that has laid bare the perils of unregulated artisanal digs in Nigeria's volatile northwest.

The cave-in struck Friday amid downpours, burying 15 workers in Maru Local Government Area; rescuers pulled out 13 bodies by Sunday, with Solid Minerals Development Ministry spokesman Segun Tomori confirming no survivors among them. "Relevant departments are aiding operations and probing the causes," he said, spotlighting illegal mining's role in the disaster that locals peg at dozens missing—though official tallies hold at 15.

Labour Party's Peter Obi mourned the dead as a "national tragedy," extending condolences and slamming lax oversight: "This highlights Nigeria’s weak regulatory framework in solid minerals." He praised community-led efforts while urging tougher rules to stem such occurrences in a sector fueling banditry and economic desperation.

As crews dig through muck, the incident echoes a string of deadly collapses—18 confirmed dead in similar Zamfara strikes last week—thrusting artisanal mining's chaos into focus for a government balancing gold booms against safety shortfalls.