Tragedy on Duty: Three Zamfara officers killed while clearing deadly IED

IED Kills Three Zamfara Police Officers During Bomb Disposal Operation
Three police officers, including the Commander of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit in Zamfara State, lost their lives after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated during a clearance operation along the Anka–Bagega Road in Anka Local Government Area.

The incident reportedly occurred on June 15 at about 5:05 p.m. while a team of security operatives was carrying out a mission to neutralize a suspected explosive device believed to have been planted by bandits operating in the area.
The operation was led by SP Abdulrazak Musa Hassan, Officer-in-Charge of the EOD Unit, alongside personnel from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU). The team was conducting the exercise in an Armoured Personnel Carrier when the vehicle inadvertently activated the hidden explosive.
The explosion claimed the lives of three officers on the spot. The victims were identified as:
SP Abdulrazak Musa Hassan, Officer-in-Charge, EOD Unit
Inspector Murtala Musa, VCRU operative
Inspector Auwal Ahmad, EOD Unit operative
Their remains were evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, where post-mortem examinations are expected to be conducted before burial arrangements.
Security authorities have commenced investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the blast. Meanwhile, additional security personnel have been deployed to the area to clear the route and prevent further attacks.
The Anka and Bagega axis has remained a hotspot for bandit activities in recent years. Security experts note that the increasing use of IEDs by criminal groups has heightened the risks faced by both civilians and security operatives, making patrol and clearance missions increasingly dangerous.
The death of SP Hassan and his colleagues is regarded as a significant loss to Zamfara State’s counter-IED operations, given the critical role EOD personnel play in detecting and neutralizing explosive threats to safeguard lives and property.
The fallen officers were reportedly on a mission to make the road safer for residents when the tragic incident occurred.