Panic gripped Talata-Mafara, Zamfara State, on Tuesday as a gunpowder explosion rocked a busy market, leaving about 50 people with severe injuries and sending shockwaves across the community. The incident, which could have resulted in mass casualties, was triggered by the accidental detonation of a locally made gun, setting off a chain reaction that ignited a store of gunpowder materials.
Victims of the explosion, many of whom suffered critical burns and shrapnel wounds, were initially rushed to the General Hospital, Talata-Mafara, before being transferred to the Usman Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, due to inadequate medical facilities at the local hospital.
According to a medical staff member at the Talata-Mafara hospital, the severity of the injuries necessitated immediate evacuation to Sokoto for advanced treatment. “The victims sustained burns and deep wounds from the explosion. Our facility was not equipped to handle such a crisis, so they had to be transferred for better care,” the source stated.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the explosion occurred when a member of a local vigilante group, attempting to purchase gunpowder, accidentally discharged his firearm. The stray shot struck the stockpile of gunpowder in the market, resulting in a massive explosion that sent flames and debris flying in all directions.
A local resident, who was at the market during the incident, recounted the horrifying moment. “It was like a bomb went off. People were running in different directions, screaming. The fire spread quickly, burning stalls and injuring many,” he narrated.
Authorities have since launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion and are assessing the extent of the damage. Talata-Mafara Local Government Chairman, Yahaya Yari, confirmed that he accompanied the victims to Sokoto but refrained from further comments on the tragedy.
Efforts to get an official statement from the Zamfara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as spokesperson ASP Yazid Abubakar was unreachable at the time of filing this report.
This tragic incident raises concerns over the unregulated sale of gunpowder and locally made firearms in marketplaces, a practice that continues despite previous warnings from security agencies.
