The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factory in Kaduna experienced a devastating explosion on Saturday, September 20, 2025, resulting in one death and several injuries. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. during the controlled disposal of expired gunpowder materials at the factory’s ordnance disposal pit in Kurmin Gwari. Maria Sambo, DICON Public Relations Officer, reported the incidence in a statement.
The explosion was attributed to expired raw materials stored in old bunkers previously used for weapon production, including Ammonia Nitrates, Primer Caps, and Propellants.
“Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials for production contained several expired items which had exceeded their lifespans, including a large quantity of Ammonia Nitrates, Primer àCaps, Propellants, and others”.
Since July 2025, the Organisation began a controlled disposal exercise to safely destroy the expired materials, adding that most of the hazardous substances, particularly the highly volatile Ammonia Nitrates, had already been successfully destroyed before Saturday’s incident. Unfortunately, the accident occurred while specialists were concluding the destruction of the remaining quantity of the expired items at the disposal pit.
One person died, and several others were injured. The injured staff were rushed to St. Gerard Catholic Hospital and later transferred to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna for treatment.
“The body of the deceased personnel has been deposited at the mortuary, while the injured staff are receiving treatment,” Sambo said.
DICON assured the public that the situation is under control, and there’s no need for panic. A Board of Inquiry has been instituted to investigate the immediate cause of the explosion and prevent future occurrences.
Residents described the blast as shaking buildings and sending panic across the neighborhood, with some thinking it was a bomb explosion.
One resident whose name wasn’t disclosed said “I heard a very big blast; it shook the surrounding buildings around DICON. People were running from the area. Initially, we thought it was a bomb explosion, but later we learnt it was from the factory”.
The corporation assured the neighboring community that operational safety has been institutionalized to the highest level, and residents can go about their normal business.
A Board of Inquiry will investigate the incident to determine the cause and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
