Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Residents of Bukkuyum Local Government Area in Zamfara State have raised serious alarms after reporting that armed groups planted an explosive device on the main Kyaram–Kairu road early this morning, creating a new flashpoint in a state long beset by banditry and insecurity. The incident has prompted urgent appeals from local leaders and residents for immediate intervention by government and security forces to protect lives, property and critical transport routes.
According to accounts from villagers and commuters who use the road daily, the explosive was discovered on the busy stretch that links several communities in Bukkuyum — an area that has experienced repeated insecurity and bandit attacks in recent years. While official details about casualties or injuries remain unconfirmed at the time of reporting, witnesses described a tense atmosphere as travellers were forced to divert or halt movement on the road for fear of further danger.
The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by armed groups in northwest Nigeria is not entirely new. Reports indicate that IEDs planted by criminal elements have previously detonated on major roads in Zamfara, including in Bukkuyum LGA, injuring travellers and disrupting transport long before this latest alarm. In one such incident this year, a device planted along a road in the area reportedly exploded, leaving some passengers injured and highlighting the lethal tactics criminals have adopted in the region.
Zamfara State remains one of the epicentres of banditry and violent criminality in Nigeria’s northwest, with communities repeatedly subjected to kidnappings, cattle rustling, mass attacks, and ambushes. Historical patterns show that towns and villages in Bukkuyum — including wards such as Kyaram — have been targeted frequently by armed groups operating from forest enclaves and using road ambushes to dominate rural areas.
The alleged planting of an explosive on the Kyaram–Kairu road has understandably stoked fear and frustration among local residents and transport workers, who describe the road as vital not only for local commuting but also for the movement of goods and economic activity across the region. Many have called for swift deployment of military and policing units, improved surveillance, and urgent clearance of the device to prevent what could become a catastrophic explosion. The call reflects long-standing grievances about perceived gaps in security deployment and protective measures in many rural and high-risk areas of the state.
Community leaders who spoke to local media emphasised that insecurity has undermined development, with repeated attacks forcing schools, markets and farms to close intermittently. They noted that despite ongoing security operations — including military offensives and airstrikes against criminal hideouts — insurgent elements still retain the capacity to strike both unprotected communities and infrastructure such as roadways.
The Nigerian government, both at the federal and state levels, has on numerous occasions reaffirmed its commitment to combating banditry across the northwest, including in Zamfara. Initiatives such as Operation Fasan Yamma, a coordinated military campaign, have been credited with dismantling certain terror cells and eliminating some of the most notorious commanders in the region. Yet analysts and residents alike point out that persistent violence continues to pose a major threat to security and public confidence.
Security experts say that the deployment of IEDs — whether for ambushing convoys or targeting civilians — is a sign that armed groups are adapting their tactics and that intelligence-driven operations must be stepped up. They argue that effective protection of strategic routes like the Kyaram–Kairu road requires a combination of enhanced patrols, community vigilance, and better resourced security outposts to deter criminal elements from establishing control over lifelines connecting vulnerable communities.
In response to the latest incident, urgent calls are being made for government authorities and security agencies to act without delay, not only to defuse the explosive device but also to reassure residents that their safety is a priority. These appeals echo similar sentiments from other parts of northern Nigeria, where civilians — fatigued by years of violence — have repeatedly urged decisive action to stem the tide of banditry and ensure uninterrupted movement along key transport corridors.
As this story develops, residents and commuters on the Kyaram–Kairu route are being advised to avoid the affected stretch until security forces confirm it is safe. Delivering swift intervention and neutralising threats on rural roads remain pressing challenges for authorities amid a broader campaign to restore peace and stability to Zamfara State.
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