Security operatives have successfully neutralised an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by suspected terrorists along the Danjibga–Kuncin Kalgo axis in Tsafe Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
The operation was carried out on Friday by a joint team comprising the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD–CBRN) Unit, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, and the Military EOD, with heavy security support from the Zamfara State Police Command.
In a statement on Saturday, Police Command spokesperson Yazid Abubakar said the operation was led by SP Abdulrazak Musa Hassan. He explained that the security personnel applied standard Render Safe Procedures (RSP) to safely and professionally neutralise a pressure-plate IED discovered at the location.
“The explosive components were recovered and secured for further forensic examination,” Abubakar said.
Following a thorough sweep and technical assessment of the area, the axis was declared safe and free of any additional explosive threats, restoring safety for commuters and residents.
Abubakar urged the public to remain vigilant and provide timely, credible information to security agencies to aid ongoing operations across the state.
Zamfara remains a hotspot for banditry and terrorist activity, with non-state actors intensifying attacks in rural communities despite the presence of security forces. These gangs are known to operate from forest camps spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger states, from which they launch raids, conduct kidnappings, and carry out attacks on civilians.
According to a recent report by Lagos-based security advisory firm SBM Intelligence, between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped in 997 incidents, and 762 were killed.
Kidnappers reportedly demanded roughly ₦48 billion in ransom but only collected about ₦2.57 billion (approximately $1.66 million). The report noted that “Nigeria’s kidnap-for-ransom crisis has consolidated into a structured, profit-seeking industry.”
The state of insecurity in northwest Nigeria has drawn international attention. Last November, former US President Donald Trump reportedly threatened Nigeria with military action over the alleged killing of Christians by radical Islamist groups.
