KADUNA: An explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria DICON Ordnance Factory in Kaduna on Saturday morning claimed the life of one staff member and left several others injured, the corporation has confirmed.
The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. at the factory’s disposal pit while personnel were engaged in the destruction of expired explosives and raw materials used for arms production.
According to DICON, the materials—comprising Ammonium Nitrate, primer caps, propellants, and other hazardous substances—had long exceeded their shelf life and were being safely destroyed in line with standard safety procedures.
The exercise, which began in July 2025, had already seen most of the volatile substances disposed of before the accident happened.
“The injured DICON staff are currently receiving treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna, while the remains of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary,” said the corporation’s spokesperson, Maria Sambo, in a statement.
She reassured residents of the nearby Kurmin Gwari community that there was no cause for alarm, stressing that all remaining hazardous materials had been secured.
“DICON, as a responsible professional organisation, has institutionalised operational safety to the highest level. The neighbouring community is assured that they can go about their normal business,” she stated.
The corporation also announced that a Board of Inquiry has been constituted to determine the immediate cause of the explosion and to recommend measures to prevent future incidents.
