- Explosion strikes Offa, Kwara State late on Christmas night.
- Five people injured, including a woman and her young daughter.
- Four buildings damaged after suspected ordnance incident.
- Police rule out bomb or plane crash, investigation ongoing.
A late-night explosion in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State on Christmas Day left five people injured and four buildings damaged, triggering panic among residents before security agencies moved in to restore calm.
The incident occurred around 9:38pm on Christmas night at Yidi prayer ground along the Offa–Ijagbo Road, when a loud blast rocked the area while residents were asleep.
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Eyewitnesses said the explosion injured about five people, including a woman popularly known as Iya Ayo, her daughter Aisha, and an artisan working nearby. The victims were rushed to First Care Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Residents told journalists that the woman sustained severe injuries to her arms, stomach, and chest, allegedly caused by nails believed to have been embedded in the object that exploded.
“They were already asleep when it happened. Her body was pierced with nails, and a young boy’s ear was badly injured,” a neighbour said.
Another eyewitness, Madam Joy, a petty trader in the area, described seeing lights in the sky moments before the blast.
“We saw light beaming before it rammed into the building upstairs and passed through three other houses,” she said
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Initial rumours suggested a bomb or aircraft-related incident, but the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, dismissed the claims.
“There was no bomb explosion and no plane crash. What occurred was an ordnance-related incident. Our IED experts have evacuated the debris, and there is no cause for alarm,” the CP said.
An official preliminary statement from Offa Local Government also described the incident as suspected ordnance-related, confirming that security agencies have cordoned off the area for further investigation.
The Executive Chairman of Offa LGA, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, who visited the scene alongside security officials, confirmed that no life was lost.
“Thank God no one died. The situation is calm, and residents have returned to their normal activities,” he said, adding that the object may have malfunctioned during testing.
Authorities urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and rely only on verified information to prevent panic and misinformation.
