Two dead, many injured in Zamfara market explosion
Two Casualties victims of the gunpowder explosion that rocked the Talata Mafara weekly market in Zamfara State have died while receiving treatment at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.
The deceased, Muhammad Lawal Matusgi and Sani Adamu Kanarkalgo were among those evacuated to Sokoto after suffering severe burns in the Tuesday blast.
The explosion, which occurred around 11:30 am, reportedly injured more than 50 traders and customers in the section of the market where locally fabricated guns are sold.
A medical worker at the General Hospital, Talata Mafara, who spoke anonymously, said the facility was already overstretched before the incident.
We received many victims, some with first-degree burns, but due to a lack of space and resources, we had to refer several others to Sokoto,” he said.
Confirming the development, Divisional Secretary of the Red Cross, Mu’azu Yusuf, said former Governor Abdulazeez Yari provided vehicles to transport all the injured, including those initially admitted at Talata Mafara General Hospital, to Sokoto for specialist care.
This is the biggest market in our area, and many people had raised concerns about the presence of Dane gun dealers, but nothing was done by the authorities.
“Just last year, a young girl was killed due to an accidental discharge in the same section of the market. We are calling on the government to relocate the gun sellers to a safer place outside town,” he said.
However, he dismissed calls for a ban on Dane gun sales, insisting that villagers depend on them for self-defense against bandits.
The Spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the explosion but said he had yet to receive full details.
“I just returned from Abuja, but I will get the full briefing from the Divisional Police Officer in Talata Mafara and provide an update,” he said.
