The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, conducted an on-site assessment of the ordnance explosion that occurred at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in Kaduna yesterday morning.
During the visit to the scene today, the minister offered concerns and assured that the situation was under control as the act was “a mere accident.”
He was briefed on the immediate cause of the incident and response measures.
Preliminary reports indicated that the explosion occurred while specialists were concluding the destruction of remaining quantities of expired materials, including ammonium nitrate, primer caps, propellants and other hazardous substances.
He was assured that the situation was under control and that DICON would continue to operate within established safety protocols.
According to him, a thorough investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the explosion and to recommend measures to prevent recurrence.
“Appropriate support will be provided to affected personnel and their families,” he stated.
