At least nine people have been killed following in explosions along Dansadau Road in Zamfara State.
The explosions occurred yesterday around Mai Aya Aya, before the Kwankelai junction on the old Dangulbi Road, near Ruwan Dawa village and Magamin Maitarko, reports Sunday Trust.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were suspected to have been planted by bandits at three different locations.
An eyewitness, Malam Yunusa Isah, a resident of Malele village, said the first explosion killed four people on the spot.
“Bandits planted the IDE and it killed four people. The traffic is very long, we can’t reach the exact place where the bomb exploded,” Yunusa said.
He added that a second IED exploded when a trailer ran over it, killing five people.
Another resident, Mal. Nuhu Ibrahim Dansadau, said the first two explosions claimed nine lives, while casualties from the third blast were still being compiled.
“We are still gathering the actual casualties of the third explosion,” Nuhu said.
He further alleged that the Dansadau community had been experiencing increased bandit attacks since the visit of Governor Dauda Lawal, adding that the attackers were attempting to instil fear in residents and disrupt the construction company working on the Dansadau road.
Nuhu also linked the incident to a crisis on Friday between Fulani groups and residents of Magami.
“People of Magami negotiated with bandits but yesterday the bandits denied to sell their rustled cattle in Magami Market, definitely this action might have prompted the bandits to take this action and secondly, they don’t want the construction company to construct Dansadau road which was just awarded by Governor Lawal,” Nuhu said.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command confirmed that suspected IEDs exploded along the Dansadau to Magami Road but said the exact number of casualties was yet to be determined.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said investigations were ongoing.
“Some items suspected to be IEDs exploded in Dansadau, Magami Road but we are still gathering the data,” Yazid said.
