The Kano State Police Command has confirmed that the explosion which occurred along the eastern bypass of the state on Saturday was caused by an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), not an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) as initially feared.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement following a thorough post-blast investigation conducted by the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit.
According to Abdullahi, the UXOs had been unknowingly transported alongside scrap metal from Yobe State to a steel company in Kano. One of the ordnances detonated during the offloading process, resulting in a deadly explosion.
“Following the incident of explosion at Yongxing Steel Company located along Ring Road, Mariri Quarters, Kano, at about 11:30 AM on Saturday, the 21st of June, 2025, a post-blast investigation by the Command’s EOD-CBRN Unit reveals the explosion came from an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), NOT from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) as was initially speculated,” he said.
He explained that the explosion, which claimed five lives and injured several others, occurred accidentally. “The UXOs had been unknowingly conveyed alongside scrap metals from Yobe State, and one of them was accidentally exploded during the process of offloading,” he added.
In total, nine UXOs have been recovered from the site—seven initially and two more found later by the bomb disposal team.
Abdullahi noted that there is no ongoing security threat, urging residents to remain calm. “Premised on this, the Command urges members of the public to remain calm and avoid unnecessary panic, as there is no imminent security threat.”
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, who are currently receiving treatment at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
The police also called on residents to report any suspicious activities or objects to security authorities through designated emergency contact lines.
“The Command urges residents to go about their lawful businesses without worry and kindly report any useful information or observed suspicious activities to the Police,” Abdullahi said.
