Police: Unexploded Ordnance, Not Bomb, Caused Kano Steel Plant Explosion
By IDNN Northern Bureau
Kano, Nigeria — The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that the deadly explosion which rocked a steel company in Mariri Quarters, Kano, on Saturday was not caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), but by Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) unknowingly transported with scrap metals.
The revelation was made in a statement issued by Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi, following a detailed post-blast investigation carried out by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit.
“The explosion occurred at Yongxing Steel Company during offloading of scrap metals from Yobe State. One UXO detonated in the process,” Abdullahi confirmed.
5 Dead, 9 UXOs Recovered
The police reported that the tragic blast claimed five lives and left multiple workers injured, all of whom are currently receiving treatment at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
The EOD-CBRN unit has since recovered nine UXOs from the premises — seven immediately after the incident and two more during an extended sweep.
“These devices had likely been mixed unknowingly with scrap materials collected from conflict zones,” Abdullahi explained.
He called for calm and urged citizens to avoid panic, stating that no security threat was currently posed to the public.
Warnings and Lessons
The incident has raised alarms over Nigeria’s growing scrap metal industry and its links to former conflict zones, where discarded military-grade explosives may remain active. The Police Command issued a public safety advisory urging traders, transporters, and factory workers to properly vet metal shipments before handling.
“We ask companies and scrap dealers to collaborate with the police for routine checks. This is a preventable tragedy,” Abdullahi stressed.
Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, extended condolences to the victims’ families and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring public safety.