It started like any other Saturday. Staff at the DICON (Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria) Ordnance Factory in Kaduna gathered to destroy expired explosives. Waste, they believed, safely stored and scheduled for disposal. But at about 10:00 a.m., something went terribly wrong. A muffled blast, then a deafening roar. Buildings trembled. Lives shattered. A man died. Several others were hurt.
This was not war. It was supposed to be safety. And yet, what was meant as a controlled destruction process ended in something uncontrolled — chaos, grief, fear in communities near Kurmin Gwari. What was supposed to protect citizens nearly destroyed them.
Now, the federal government has promised a panel to investigate. But in a country with too many panels and too few results, one question looms: will this inquiry fix anything, or will it be another paper review filed away behind closed doors?
What Happened — The Known Facts
The explosion occurred at DICON’s disposal pit in Kakuri Industrial Area, Kaduna South LGA, around 10:00 a.m. on 20 September 2025, during a controlled destruction exercise.
Materials involved were expired explosives: ammonia nitrates, primer caps, propellants, and other weapon-related hazardous items stored in old bunkers, many of which had exceeded their safe lifespan.
The disposal process had been going on since July 2025; most of the ammonia nitrates and many of the other expired materials had already been destroyed without incident.
One DICON staff member died. Several others were injured. The injured are being treated at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna.
A government committee / Board of Inquiry has been established to investigate causes and recommend safety measures. Minister of Defence has visited the site. The FG insists the situation is under control and that the remaining hazardous materials have been secured.
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What the Federal Panel Must Do — From Inquiry to Action
To make sure this doesn’t just become another report gathering dust, here’s what the panel must commit to, and what citizens should demand:
1. Transparent Terms of Reference (ToR) Publicly Shared
* The panel’s mandate must include external hazardous material audit, inventory lists, safety compliance with international best practices.
* Should involve independent experts (non-military) and representatives of local communities.
2. Timeline & Accountability Milestones
* Publication of interim reports (e.g. within 30 days, 60 days) so the public can track progress.
* Clear assignment of responsibilities—for example, DICON, PHCN (if power issues involved), Ministry of Defence, etc.
3. Compensation & Support for Victims & Community
* Immediate medical support, compensation for families of those killed or injured.
* Surveys of structural damage in surrounding homes. Psychological support where needed.
4. Safety Overhaul in Explosives Management
* Inventory clean-up: no expired explosive material should linger.
* Regular maintenance and risk assessments of disposal pits, old bunkers.
* Implementation of strict disposal protocols, with trained personnel, modern safety equipment.
5. Public Disclosure & Legal Accountability
* The final findings should be public. If negligence or law breaking is found, those involved must face consequences.
* Prosecutions, policy changes or administrative sanctions must follow.
6. Review Similar Facilities Nationwide
* This incident should be a wake-up call, not just for Kaduna. All DICON / defence storage / disposal sites across Nigeria must be audited.
Why it Really Matters
Because every such incident chips away at trust in state institutions. Because an explosion doesn’t just kill people — it kills confidence. And a country that can’t safely manage its own dangerous materials is vulnerable not only to accidents but to sabotage, theft, terrorism. The DICON blast may have ended with “just one death” — but the risk to hundreds, even thousands, was real.
