Police Destroy Explosive Device Planted By Suspected Bandits In Zamfara

The Zamfara State Police Command has successfully detected and destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) suspected to have been planted by bandits along the Kunchin Kalgo axis of Tsafe Local Government Area, in an operation that averted what authorities described as a potential mass-casualty attack on road users.

The Command said the explosive device was discovered and neutralised through a coordinated response involving tactical operatives and bomb disposal experts deployed to the area following credible intelligence from local residents.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Gusau, explaining that the operation was carried out on June 13, 2026, at about 4:15pm.

According to him, the device had been strategically planted along the road with the intention of targeting unsuspecting commuters and causing widespread casualties.

“On 13th June 2026, at about 4:15pm, operatives of the Command’s Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, destroyed explosive devices which were strategically planted to cause mass casualties among innocent road users and commuters,” Abubakar said.

He explained that the swift intervention was made possible by timely intelligence received from members of the local community, who observed suspicious movement and alerted security operatives.

Abubakar said the Command’s growing reliance on community policing and partnership with residents had continued to yield operational success in preventing attacks before they occur.

“Through the Command’s robust community engagement strategy, effective partnerships, and sustained networking with local community members, timely and credible information was received, enabling the operatives to respond swiftly and neutralise the threat before any harm could occur,” he added.

The police spokesman commended residents of the area for their vigilance, describing their cooperation as critical to sustaining ongoing security operations across the state.

He assured that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend those behind the planting of the explosive device, adding that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

The Command also disclosed that convoy patrols and intensified surveillance had been deployed across strategic routes in Tsafe and other vulnerable corridors to prevent similar incidents.

“The Command reassures residents that it is making tireless efforts to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible for this criminal act. Additionally, convoy patrols have been deployed across the Command to prevent untoward activities and ensure the safety of residents and travellers,” Abubakar said.

He further relayed the directive of the Commissioner of Police, urging residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, while assuring that all reports would be treated with confidentiality.

The incident adds to a series of security operations in Zamfara State, where police and other security agencies have continued to confront banditry, ambushes, and the use of improvised explosive devices along major routes in the North-West state.