● EOD commander among victims as armoured vehicle triggers device on Anka-Bagega road
Three police officers, including the head of Zamfara’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, were killed Sunday after an IED exploded on the Anka–Bagega road in Anka LGA.
Security sources say the incident occurred June 15 about 5:05 p.m.
SP Abdulrazak Musa Hassan, Officer-in-Charge of the EOD unit, was leading a team to safely detonate a suspected explosive device believed planted by bandits.
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The team included personnel from the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU.
They were conducting a controlled clearance operation in an armoured personnel carrier when the vehicle accidentally triggered the IED.
The blast killed three officers instantly:
1. SP Abdulrazak Musa Hassan– Officer-in-Charge, EOD unit
2. Inspector Murtala Musa – VCRU
3. Inspector Auwal Ahmad– EOD unit
Their bodies were evacuated to Federal Medical Centre, FMC Gusau, for post-mortem examination and have been deposited at the hospital morgue.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine full circumstances surrounding the explosion.
Security operations in the area have been, according to Zagazola Makama, reinforced as teams work to clear the road and prevent further attacks.
—Banditry & IED threat in Zamfara—
Anka and Bagega have been frequent targets of bandits. The use of IEDs has become a growing tactic, turning routine patrols and disposal missions into high-risk operations.
SP Hassan and his team were killed trying to make that same road safer for civilians.
The loss of an EOD commander is a heavy blow to Zamfara’s counter-IED capacity, as these units are critical in clearing devices and protecting both security forces and communities. [Rewritten report sourced from Zagazola Makama’s news platform]
