By Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu
At least 12 people were reportedly killed on Wednesday morning as an explosive planted by bandits blew up a bridge in Zamfara State, North-west Nigeria.
The victims were travelling in an overloaded Golf car to Gusau from the Maru local government area of Zamfara State when the incident occurred at about 8am on the Mailamba Bridge.
A resident, Nuhu Babangida, said security agents and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers were in Tashar Sahabi working to recover the bodies as he spoke with our reporter on Wednesday afternoon.
This comes days after bandits planted explosives that blew up another bridge in the area on Sunday after an attack by the outlaws was repelled in Unguwar Galadima in the same local government area.
Residents said the bandits were attacking communities around the Dansadau Emirate to avenge the killing of their leader, Sani Black, in September by local vigilantes.
Black was one of the pioneers of terrorism in Zamfara and a protege of the late Tsoho Buhari. He was also a close ally of the late Halilu Sububu, who was also killed in an ambush on 13 September.
The scene of the latest explosion, Tashar Sahabi, is about 28 km from Dansadau town.
The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Yazeed Abubakar, said he was awaiting a briefing on the development when our reporter called him on the phone for his comments.
