Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Dalijan, has revealed that some members of the dreaded Lakurawa terror group, who survived a military onslaught, were behind the explosion which rocked the state on Wednesday.
Six travellers were reportedly killed after a vehicle conveying them ran on explosives planted along the Dansadau-Gusau Road in the Maru Local Government Area of the state.
A source said some bandits planted the explosives after the completion of community work on the road.
The tragic incident occurred along the road when the commercial vehicle ran over the explosive device planted by bandits.
However, in an interview on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme, yesterday, the CP noted that some members of the newly formed group were responsible for the attack.
Dalijan said: "This Lakurawa (group), when they were dislodged by the Army in Sokoto and Kebbi, the rest of them who survived the military onslaught were trying to find new enclaves.
"As they were passing that village to Birnin-Gwari forest, they planted a bomb under a bridge. Then a motorist was passing and stepped on it. It exploded and killed the driver, and three others were seriously injured," he said.
He stressed that the bandits in the North-West state do not know how to improvise explosive devices, hence the assurance that the terrorists were not responsible, adding that the planting of bombs has become a new strategy to unleash terror in the state.
"They were seen passing through a village and as we were getting reports, trying to get ourselves prepared to pursue them, this (explosion) happened. So, we are sure that they were the ones who planted the bomb.
"The bandits here (in Zamfara) don't use bombs because they don't know how to make it, they don't know how to improvise explosive devices. So, we are 100 percent sure that they (Lakurawa) are the ones because planting bombs in Zamfara State is a new development and bandits don't have that capacity," he said.
A resident of the area, identified as Abdullahi Dansadau, told the television station that the Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle exploded after it ran over the explosives, killing six people, and leaving eight others injured.
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Meanwhile, Defence Headquarters vowed, yesterday, to dismantle the operational capabilities of the Lakurawa terror group.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Buba Edward revealed the existence of the group and faulted residents for failing to promptly alert security personnel.
The group, according to reports, has been wreaking havoc in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
