The Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has issued a warning to the public, particularly metal scavengers, against collecting and transporting scraps and abandoned metal objects from various locations into the state. This caution follows an incident in the Goniri area, where five metal scavengers were injured by an explosion of abandoned ordnance.
Retired Brigadier-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Special Adviser to Governor Buni on Security Matters, emphasized the importance of this warning in a statement from Damaturu. He explained that the explosion was caused by unexploded ordnance picked up by unsuspecting scavengers who had crossed over from the deserted parts of the Sambisa Forest to the Goniri area.
“The military Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit is working round the clock to detonate any devices that may have been abandoned in the past years,” Abdulsalam said.
He further advised the general public to report any suspicious objects or persons to security agents for prompt action, highlighting the critical need for vigilance to prevent similar incidents in the future.