At least seven people lost their lives when an improvised explosive device detonated on the Magami-Dansadau highway in Zamfara State, a road long considered one of the region’s most perilous. The blast occurred on a Saturday in the Maru Local Government Area, reportedly targeting travelers along the critical Gusau-Dansadau-Magami transit route.

Witnesses described a scene of devastation. Haruna Bala, a local resident, revealed that five individuals were killed instantly, while two others later died in hospital. Mustapha Kaura, a media aide to the Zamfara State Governor, confirmed the attack and linked it to fleeing bandits associated with the notorious Dogo Gide. The IED was strategically planted between the villages of Yar-gada and Mai-hayahaya, underscoring the calculated nature of the assault.

David Adewusi, spokesperson for the Joint Task Force Operation Fansan Yamma, corroborated the incident, affirming that the explosion was caused by a terrorist-planted device. This tragedy adds to a growing list of deadly events on the Dansadau District roads, which have long been hotbeds of banditry in Zamfara State.

The use of IEDs marks a dangerous escalation in tactics. In December of the previous year, similar devices detonated in the Dansadau District, killing over 15 people across multiple locations, including the road linking Dansadau and Malamawa, and Malele Road. Earlier reports also documented at least 12 deaths when an explosive destroyed a bridge at Tashar Sahabi.

Security analysts note that the shift from hit-and-run raids using small arms and motorcycles to explosives reflects the adaptation of bandit groups operating in the North-west. The strategic location of the Dansadau area, bordering the expansive Kuyambana Forest, provides both a hideout and a transit corridor for movement between Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, and Katsina states. The deployment of IEDs significantly heightens the threat level to travelers and complicates regional security operations.