The Kano State Government has imposed an immediate ban on the importation of scrap materials from Nigeria’s Northeastern region after a deadly explosion killed 15 workers at a scrap site in Gidan Karfe along the Eastern Bypass in Kano.
The announcement was made by Kano State Commissioner for Internal Security, Ibrahim Umaru, during a meeting with the Scrap Dealers Association of Nigeria. He linked the tragic incident to explosive devices unknowingly transported from the Northeast, a region long affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
Umaru emphasized the necessity of the ban to prevent further loss of lives, noting that scrap dealers had inadvertently moved improvised explosive devices (IEDs) into Kano. The state government plans to collaborate with relevant agencies to monitor scrap material movements and ensure public safety.
The Chairman of the Association of Scrap Dealers in Northern Nigeria, Aminu Hassan, expressed support for the ban and called for capacity building to help dealers identify and avoid transporting dangerous items. He confirmed that the association had already instructed members to cease acquiring scrap from conflict-affected areas.
This ban follows a series of explosions in Kano, including a recent blast at a scrapyard in Kofar Dawanau that killed one person and injured six others. Authorities continue investigations into the sources of the explosive materials.
The Kano Government’s decisive action aims to curb the smuggling of explosives hidden among scrap materials and protect residents from further tragedies.
