Niger State Police Command has confirmed that the owner of the dynamites that exploded in the Mashegu Local Government Area on Monday, killing one person and injuring six others, is yet to be apprehended.
The explosion, which occurred at Sabon-Pegi in Mashegu LGA, was reportedly caused by dynamites stored in a residential area by an individual identified as Yushau, allegedly for mining activities. The blast claimed the life of Fatima Sadauki, left six others injured, and destroyed 12 residential buildings.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, said, “On January 26th, 2025, at about 7.30am, there was an explosion of some suspected dynamites at Sabon-Pegi, Mashegu LGA, which was reportedly kept in a residential area by one Yushau for purported mining activity.
“The explosion led to the unfortunate death of one Fatima Sadauki, while six others were injured and taken to general hospital Kainji for medical attention.
“The incident affected about 12 houses in the area, and an investigation into the incident has commenced. The EOD-CBRN unit of the Command has been dispatched to the scene for assessment, but the said Yushau is currently at large. However, normalcy has been restored in the area while monitoring continues.”
The police commissioner emphasised the importance of community cooperation in preventing such incidents.
“If the community had identified the owner of the dynamite and informed the police of the kind of business he does, we would have arrested the suspect and evacuated the items, and the incident would have been avoided,” Danmamman said.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely intelligence to law enforcement.
