One killed, many injured as ‘expired explosives’ blows up at DICON factory
According to a statement issued on Saturday, Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria‘s (DICON) public relations officer, Maria Sambo, disclosed that the explosion occurred around 10am at the corporation’s ordinance factory disposal pit, where expired explosive materials were being destroyed.
The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria has confirmed that an explosion occurred at its Ordnance Factory Disposal Pit in Kaduna, leading to the untimely death of one person and injuries to several others.
Earlier, it was wrongly reported that the incident had claimed the lives of two workers, one of whom was a military officer.
However, the corporation has come out to clarify the situation, saying the explosion happened during the final phase of controlled destruction of expired explosives and other hazardous materials stored at the factory.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, sent shockwaves across the Kurmin Gwari area where the factory is located, with residents initially fearing a terror attack before official confirmation came from DICON authorities.
According to a statement signed by the DICON Public Relations Officer, Maria Sambo, the explosion happened during the final phase of controlled destruction of expired explosives and other hazardous materials stored at the factory.
“Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials for production contained several expired items which had exceeded their lifespans, including a large quantity of Ammonia Nitrates, Primer Caps, Propellants, and others,” the statement explained.
According to Sambo, a board of inquiry has been set up to discover the immediate cause of the incident.
The DICON PRO further explained that the organisation had, embarked on a controlled disposal exercise to safely destroy the expired materials,
since July 2025.
She added that most of the hazardous substances, particularly the highly volatile Ammonia Nitrates, had already been successfully destroyed before Saturday’s incident.
“Unfortunately, the accident occurred while specialists were concluding the destruction of the remaining quantity of the expired items at the disposal pit,” she added.
The explosion claimed the life of a DICON personnel whose name had yet to be officially released as of press time. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna for treatment.
“The body of the deceased personnel has been deposited at the mortuary, while the injured staff are receiving treatment,” Sambo said.
She expressed the organisation’s condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a quick recovery.
Reportedly, residents of Kurmin Gwari and neighbouring communities currently are leaving in the fear of the unknown, as some bemoaned the deafening sound, which they reportedly was heard several kilometres away.
Reacting, DICON advised the public to be of good cheers, while assuring emphatically that there was no further cause for alarm, hence the situation had been brought under control and the remaining materials secured.
“The neighbouring community is assured that DICON, as a responsible professional organisation, has institutionalised operational safety to the highest level. People can go about their normal business,” Sambo stated.
