One person has died and six others were injured in a dynamite explosion that occurred in Sabon-Pegi in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Niger, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Minna on Sunday.
He said that the explosion, which occurred at about 7:30 am, was reportedly caused by dynamites kept in the area by a suspect for mining activity.
Abiodun said the blast affected about 12 houses in the area and caused widespread destruction.
He said the victim, identified as Fatima Sadauki, lost her life in the explosion, while the six injured persons were rushed to General Hospital Kainji for medical attention.
He said the Commissioner of Police in Niger, CP Shawulu Danmamman, has ordered an investigation into the incident and dispatched the EOD-CBRN unit to the scene for assessment.
He said that the suspect, who is reportedly responsible for keeping the dynamites in the residential area, was currently at large.
He disclosed that normalcy has been restored in the area, with monitoring ongoing to prevent further incidents.
