Kano bans scrap metal imports from North-East after deadly blast  

The Kano State Government has imposed an immediate ban on the importation and purchase of scrap metal from Nigeria’s North-East region, following a deadly explosion in the Hotoro area of the state capital that killed five people and injured several others.

Announcing the measure on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Umaru, said preliminary investigations revealed that the explosives responsible for the blast were hidden inside scrap materials believed to have originated from the insurgency-prone North-East.

“In light of the recent bomb explosion that claimed five lives and left many injured, we have traced the source of the explosives to scrap metals brought in from the North-East,” Umaru stated at a press briefing in Kano.

He noted that given the long-standing security challenges in the North-East, particularly Boko Haram’s activities, the government could not afford to take risks.

“This directive is a proactive step to safeguard lives and property in Kano State,” he said.

All scrap dealers in the state have been ordered to immediately cease the importation of scrap materials from the North-East.

The commissioner warned that violators of the directive would face legal consequences.

The explosion, which rocked a scrap processing facility in the Hotoro district earlier this week, caused widespread panic and significant damage to the surrounding area.

Although the exact source of the explosives is still under investigation, security sources have linked the scrap to shipments originating from Yobe State, rather than Borno.

In a related development, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum banned metal scavenging across the state in 2023 due to a spike in Boko Haram attacks targeting firewood collectors and scrap scavengers in rural areas.

That decision was intended to disrupt routes used by terror groups to move explosives and contraband materials under the guise of scrap trading.

The Kano State Government’s latest move reflects growing concerns over the security implications of the scrap trade and aims to prevent a repeat of the tragic incident in Hotoro.