An explosion rocked the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factory in Kaduna on Saturday, leaving one person dead and four others injured.
The blast occurred around 10 a.m. at the corporation’s ordnance disposal pit in the Kurmin Gwari area of the city, sending shockwaves through nearby communities.
Preliminary findings linked the incident to expired raw materials used in arms production.
Authorities confirmed that the disposal of volatile substances triggered the explosion, which has now raised concerns about safety measures in handling old stockpiles of military-grade materials.
Residents said the deafening blast shook buildings and sent panic across the neighbourhood. “I heard a very big blast, it shook the surrounding buildings. People were running, thinking it was a bomb explosion,” a resident told our correspondent.
The victims, who were on weekend duty, were initially rushed to St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, before being evacuated by military ambulance to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.
An eyewitness said the explosion involved primer powder and other volatile substances. “It killed a military officer on the spot and injured four civilian staff, who are in critical condition,” he recounted.
According to The Nation, after the blast, sympathisers, relatives and DICON staff were seen trooping in, some in tears to St. Gerard Hospital.
Confirming the incident, DICON’s Public Relations Officer, Maria Sambo, said the explosion occurred during the disposal of expired ordnance.
According to her: “Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials contained several expired items, including Ammonium Nitrate, primer caps and propellants. Since July, efforts had been on to safely destroy them, and most had already been disposed of. Unfortunately, an accident occurred while specialists were concluding the disposal of the remaining materials.”
She added that the injured staff were receiving treatment at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, while the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary.
“While commiserating with staff, families and friends of the deceased and wishing the injured a quick recovery, DICON assures the public that the situation is under control and there is no cause for panic. The neighbouring community can go about their normal activities as the remaining materials have been made safe,” the statement read.
The management further announced that a Board of Inquiry has been set up to investigate the exact cause of the explosion.
