Over 50 individuals narrowly escaped a tragic incident on Tuesday following a gunpowder explosion at a market in Talata-Mafara town, Zamfara State.
The victims were quickly taken to Usman Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital Sokoto for urgent medical attention after sustaining various injuries from the explosion.
A medical professional from General Hospital Talata-Mafara revealed that due to the severity of the injuries and the lack of adequate facilities, the patients had to be transferred to Sokoto for treatment.
The medical worker emphasized the critical condition of the victims, necessitating specialized care.
A local resident, Aminu Mohammed, shared that the explosion resulted from a locally made gun detonating in the market during its bustling hours.
The incident unfolded when a member of the vigilante group accidentally triggered the explosion while handling gunpowder, causing widespread injuries.
Thanks to the prompt response of security forces and firefighters, the situation was contained to prevent further devastation.
Yahaya Yari, the chairman of Talata-Mafara Local Government Area, accompanied the victims to Sokoto for treatment but refrained from providing additional details.
Despite attempts to reach the state police command’s spokesperson, ASP Yazid Abubakar, for a statement, no response was received at the time of compiling this report.