Kaabong artisanal miner still buried in deep gold pit as rescue efforts stall

28 April 2026, 9:40 am

By Alexander Mackey Okori

Efforts to retrieve a body of artisanal miner believed to be still trapped beneath the gold mining pit in Kaabong district have proved futile, according to the police.

The victim as Nangiro Lokubal aged 26, a resident of Kakutatom village, Kotomee Parish in Lodiko Sub-County is one of the two artisanal miners who were buried by the soil, when they were searching for gold in Nariwose village, Lokonoyona parish in Loyoro Sub-County on Saturday at around 8:00 PM.

The body of his counterpart identified as Kiyonga Longole, aged 35, a resident of Logutoo Village, Kotomee Parish in Lodiko Sub-county was retrieved by the locals on the fateful day.

A team of police from Kaabong Central Police Station led by the OC Station ASP Drek Twinamastko, yesterday tried to retrieve Lokubal’ body but abandoned the site after failing to find the victim.

On Monday morning, a team of police officers from the Energy and Minerals Department based at Mt. Moroto regional headquarters joined the ground police in an effort to retrieve Lokubal’s body, but their attempts yielded no results.

ASP Drek Twinamastko confirmed the development to this radio on phone saying that the pit killer is more than 80 feet deep and the police and the locals could not dig further using rudimentary tools.

He said that they had anticipated to recover, Lokubal’s body, by today but due to depth of the gold pit they failed.

ASP Twinamastko added that they have requested by for an excavator from the district to help excavate the pit currently covered up with soil.

Cue 270402026 ASP Twinamastko eng

Statistics reveal that five people have died due to gold mine collapse in Loyoro Sub-county where people are rushing for gold.

On March 22, 2026, three people identified as Lopetok Modo, 25, Chilis Lokito, 18 and Nautu Nangiro aged 15 were buried after a tunnel caved in at Sokodu village, Morulem Parish in Loyoro Sub-county.