ABUJA, Dec. 4 — At least 12 travelers were killed, and six others wounded after a vehicle hit an explosive device planted on the Dansadau-Gusau road in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, witnesses and officials said.
The explosion, believed to have been carried out by armed gangs known locally as bandits, marked a troubling escalation in attacks in the region, where violence and kidnappings have surged.
Bello Dansadau and Abubakar Ismail, witnesses to the incident, described the devastating aftermath, saying the vehicle was destroyed, leaving casualties scattered across the road.
A spokesperson for the Joint Task Force, Abubakar Abdullahi, said an explosive ordnance disposal team had been deployed to the area to clear any remaining devices. He did not provide an official death toll but confirmed efforts were underway to investigate and track down the attackers.
“The public should stay alert and report suspicious activity,” Abdullahi said.
Bandit groups have increasingly targeted highways in the northwest, often using violence to extract ransoms from their victims.
