Four people were reportedly killed, and at least twenty others were injured on Tuesday when an explosion occurred at a store selling locally manufactured weaponry in Zamfara State‘s Talata Mafara Central Market.
A community member verified the occurrence to newsmen in a phone conversation.
The source said that traders and shoppers fled for their lives as a result of the surprise blast, which caused panic in the busy market.
“Today at Talata Mafara Central Market, there was an explosion, killing several people and injuring many others,” the source told SaharaReporters.
A video reportedly acquired by the media platform reveals that at least 20 individuals, primarily traders, sustained serious injuries as a result of the explosion at the Talata Mafara Central Market.
However, the state government and the Nigeria Police Force have yet to confirm the precise cause of the explosion.
Nevertheless, an eyewitness informed journalists that the blast emanated from a shop that sells locally manufactured firearms, a prevalent business in certain regions of northern Nigeria.
Zamfara State has been facing escalating insecurity issues, including banditry and kidnappings, which have contributed to a rise in the distribution of homemade weapons, frequently utilized for self-defence.
This incident underscores the dangers linked to the unregulated trade of arms in local markets.
Attempts to contact the Zamfara State Police Commissioner, Yezid Abubakar, were unsuccessful. It was reported that his phone line consistently indicated ‘user busy’ during multiple calls on Tuesday evening, and he has not replied to subsequent text messages or WhatsApp inquiries.
