FG Establishes Panel to Investigate Kaduna Weapons Factory Explosion

At least one person was killed in Saturday’s explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in Kaduna, raising new safety worries at the country’s top weapons production site. The Federal Government has opened an investigation into the incident.

The explosion happened at the Ordnance Factory Disposal Pit within the DICON complex, as was previously mentioned.

Maria Sambo, the DICON spokesperson, signed an official statement stating that the incident occurred during the “final phase of controlled destruction” of dangerous materials and expired explosives that had long since outlived their useful lives.

These included hazardous materials including propellants, priming caps, and ammonium nitrates—all essential parts required in the manufacture of weapons.

Even while DICON confirmed one death, Channels Television cited unverified allegations from local sources that said up to four individuals might have perished and multiple more were injured.

The Reaction of FG and Safety Issues
Former Senate Head of Security and Beacon Security and Intelligence Ltd. Managing Director Kabir Adamu called the event concerning but praised the government’s prompt response.

The next thing we heard after the President’s visit to Kaduna was an explosion. When I originally thought of this, I wondered if it was sabotage. But as of right now, there is no proof of sabotage; instead, there seems to have been a safety incident,” Adamu stated on The Morning Brief on Channels Television.

He went on to say, “A committee has been established to look at what went wrong. Stronger safety regulations, however, obviously could have avoided the accident.

As federal authorities reassured the public that the crisis has been controlled, Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru has already visited the scene to evaluate the situation.

Adamu clarified that Nigeria’s drive for further independence in the manufacture of weapons is risky, as the Kaduna explosion demonstrates.

This administration has made increasing domestic weapons manufacture by 40% one of its policies. It’s a good approach because it lessens reliance on foreign weapons and even creates export potential. The drawback, though, is that in order to stop mishaps like this, we need to make our safety regulations stronger,” he stated.

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Drawing comparisons to the terrible Ikeja cantonment explosion in 2002, which left thousands homeless and hundreds dead, he cautioned that even minor mistakes while handling explosives might have disastrous results.

Adamu criticized the way that expired explosives are currently gathered, stored, and disposed of at DICON, claiming that “gaps” in the system require immediate attention.

The standards for managing these things remain inadequate, based on my interactions with security personnel. He emphasized that in order to prevent a recurrence of this disaster, stronger procedures, improved training, and closer oversight are required.

According to government sources, the investigating group will examine the blast’s immediate and distant causes and suggest more robust safety protocols.

Nigerian officials are warning citizens not to make snap judgments until the committee publishes its report.

Adamu stated: “Let’s avoid giving the committee any advance notice.” We ought to wait for their report before making any final judgments.

The event has brought back unpleasant memories of previous military-related explosions for Kaduna residents, who are also concerned about the safety of the villages that surround these facilities.