From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Panic gripped residents of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Christmas night, after an explosion rocked Yidi, the Muslim prayer ground area along the Offa–Ijagbo Road, leaving about five people injured and several buildings damaged.
The incident, which occurred late in the evening, affected a family and other residents who were already asleep when the blast happened. Among those seriously injured were a woman popularly known as Iya Ayo and her young daughter, Aisha, who were rushed to First Care Hospital, Offa, for urgent medical attention.
Neighbours said the impact of the explosion was severe, with nails and metal objects reportedly piercing parts of the woman’s body. One resident said a young boy also sustained a serious ear injury.
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“They were sleeping when it happened. Iya Ayo’s breast, stomach and arms were pierced by nails from the blast. It was a terrifying sight,” a neighbour told journalists at the scene.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that an artisan was also injured, while four adjoining buildings suffered varying degrees of damage. A petty trader in the area, Madam Joy, described how the object struck the buildings.
“We saw lights coming down from the sky before it rammed into an upstairs building and then went through three other buildings. That was how they were pulled down,” she said.
Following initial speculations by residents that it was a bomb explosion, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, dismissed rumours linking the incident to a bomb or any military activity.
“There was no bomb scare in Offa and no plane crash. What happened was an ordnance-related incident,” the police boss explained. “Our IED experts have evacuated the debris and there is no cause for alarm. Everything is under control, and investigations have commenced.”
A preliminary statement from the Offa Local Government also described the explosion as suspected to be ordnance-related, adding that security agencies had cordoned off the area to allow for thorough investigation.
The Chairman of Offa Local Government, Hon. Suleiman Omituntun, said he received a distress call about the incident around 9:38pm and immediately mobilised security agencies to the scene.
“Thank God no life was lost. This is not a bomb explosion and not a plane crash. It is an unfortunate incident, but the situation is now calm and residents have returned to their normal activities,” he said.
Omituntun added that security experts were still working to determine the exact cause, noting that it could be linked to a malfunctioning device. “It might be that a drone was being tested and it backfired, but investigations will reveal the truth,” he stated.
The council chairman, alongside the Divisional Police Officer of Offa Division and the Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon. Femi Whyte, visited the scene to assess the damage.
He urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, while advising them to rely on credible information from official sources to avoid panic and the spread of misinformation.
