No fewer than six persons have lost their lives while several others sustained injuries after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded along the Bagega-Anka road in Zamfara.
The tragic incident occurred in Anka Local Government Area on Thursday morning when a commercial vehicle carrying passengers reportedly drove over the explosive device.
Residents of the community said the explosion happened at about 9:00 a.m., causing severe destruction to the vehicle and leaving multiple passengers dead at the scene.
Local sources alleged that the explosive device was planted by suspected bandits who have continued to operate in parts of the state despite ongoing security operations.
The attack has once again highlighted growing security concerns in several communities across Zamfara, where residents frequently face threats linked to banditry and armed violence.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, said six other victims who sustained injuries in the blast were currently receiving medical treatment.
According to him, security operatives swiftly responded to the scene following reports of the explosion.
Abubakar explained that the police command immediately deployed its Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to secure the affected area and prevent further casualties.
He said the EOD team conducted a detailed sweep along the road to identify and neutralise any additional explosive devices before reopening the route to motorists and residents.
“While normalcy has been restored, our team of EOD has been deployed to the area to sweep the entire area so that another explosion will not be buried again,” he stated.
The latest incident added to a series of violent attacks and security challenges confronting communities in Zamfara and other parts of northwestern Nigeria, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted civilians, travellers and rural settlements.
