At least nine people were killed on Saturday when a series of explosions, suspected to be Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by bandits, rocked the Dansadau Road in Zamfara State.
The blasts occurred at three separate locations along the routeโaround Mai Aya Aya, near Ruwan Dawa village, and close to Magamin Maitarkoโcausing panic and cutting off traffic along the busy road.
Eyewitnesses reported that the first explosion killed four people instantly. As a long line of vehicles stalled in the aftermath, a second IED detonated under a trailer, claiming five more lives. Casualty figures from a third blast were still being compiled at the time of reporting.
A resident, Mal. Nuhu Ibrahim Dansadau, linked the attack to recent tensions in the area, including a dispute between Fulani groups and residents of Magami over the sale of rustled cattle. He also alleged that bandits were attempting to instill fear and disrupt a state-sponsored road construction project in Dansadau, which had recently been awarded by Governor Dauda Lawal.
“The bandits donโt want the construction company to construct the Dansadau road,” Nuhu claimed.
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident but noted that the exact number of casualties was still under investigation.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, stated, โSome items suspected to be IEDs exploded in Dansadau, Magami Road but we are still gathering the data.โ
The attack has raised concerns over a surge in violence in communities along the Dansadau axis, despite ongoing security operations in the state.
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