Owner of Exploded Dynamite in Niger State Still At Large, Police Confirm

Babatunji Wusu –

• A dynamite explosion in Mashegu Local Government Area, Niger State, killed one person and injured six others.
• The dynamites were reportedly stored by a man named Yushau for mining activities.
• The explosion affected 12 houses, and the suspect, Yushau, is currently at large.
• The police have launched an investigation and urged the community to provide intelligence to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Niger State Police Command has confirmed that the owner of the dynamites responsible for an explosion in Sabon-Pegi, Mashegu Local Government Area, is still at large. The incident, which occurred on January 26, 2025, at around 7:30 am, resulted in the tragic death of one person, Fatima Sadauki, and left six others injured. The victims were subsequently taken to the General Hospital in Kainji for medical treatment.

State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, explained that the dynamites, which were kept in a residential area by a man named Yushau for purported mining purposes, exploded, causing significant damage to the area. The blast affected about 12 houses.

An investigation is underway, with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal-Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) unit deployed to the scene for further assessment. However, the suspect, Yushau, remains at large.

Commissioner Danmamman emphasized the importance of community involvement, urging residents to provide timely intelligence to the police. He suggested that had the community been more proactive in identifying the suspicious storage of dynamites, the incident could have been prevented, and the suspect could have been apprehended before the explosion occurred. Despite the tragedy, normalcy has been restored in the area, and monitoring continues.