The victims were travelling in an overloaded Golf car to Gusau from Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State when the incident occurred at about 8 a.m.

At least 12 people were reportedly killed Wednesday morning as an explosive planted by bandits blew off a bridge in Zamfara State.

The victims were travelling in an overloaded Golf car to Gusau from Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State when the incident occurred at about 8 a.m. at Gadar Mailamba (Mailamba Bridge) in Tashar Sahabi in Maru LGA.

A resident, Nuhu Babangida, said security agents and members of the NURTW were in Tashar Sahabi working to recover the bodies as he spoke with our reporter Wednesday afternoon.

An explosive planted by bandits had similarly blown off another bridge in the area on Sunday after an attack by the outlaws was repelled in Unguwar Galadima in the same local government area.

Residents said the bandits were attacking communities around Dansadau emirate to avenge the killing of their leader, Sani Black, in September by local vigilantes.

Mr Black was one of the pioneers of terrorism in Zamfara and a protege of the late Tsoho Buhari. He was also a close ally of the late Halilu Sububu, who was also killed in an ambush on 13 September.

The scene of the latest explosion, Tashar Sahabi, is about 28 kilometres from Dansadau town.

The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Yazeed Abubakar, said he was awaiting a briefing on the development when our reporter called him on the phone for his comments.