Two people, including a military officer, were killed and four others critically injured on Saturday following an explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factory in the Kurmin Gwari area of Kaduna.
The blast, reportedly from gunpowder used in arms production, occurred during a weekend shift, shaking nearby buildings and sending residents into panic.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion killed the officer and a civilian worker instantly, while four other workers sustained severe injuries. The injured were first taken to St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, before being evacuated by military ambulance to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital for further treatment.
Sympathizers and relatives of the victims thronged the hospital, with many weeping. DICON management has yet to release an official statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.