No fewer than 50 traders and customers were reported to have sustained severe injuries following a gunpowder explosion at the Weekly Talata Mafara Market in Zamfara.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the explosion occurred at the popular section of the market where locally fabricated guns are sold and serviced.
A resident of the area, Mal Rilwanu Mafara, who spoke to our correspondent on the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 3 p.m. Tuesday at the market area, where a blacksmith makes locally fabricated guns and sells gunpowder for customers.
Rilwanu said some victims were taken to Talata Mafara General Hospital, while those in critical condition were referred to the Usmanu Danfodio Teaching Hospital Sokoto (UDUTH) receiving treatment.
He further explained that the Emir of Talata-Mafara Alhaji Bello Muhammad Barmo and the local government council chairman Yahaya Abubakar Yari were among the early callers at the General Hospital to sympathise with the victims, most of whom are responding to treatment.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the local government council chairman expressed sadness over the issue and said he directed the order to ban the sale and servicing of locally fabricated guns in the market immediately.
The commissioner of police, CP Muhammad Dalijan, confirmed the incident and said the command has since deployed its Anti-bomb Squad to the scene to assess the situation and restore normalcy.
