Panic spread across Offa, Kwara state on Thursday night after explosions were heard around the Yidi Praying Ground area and Solid Worth Hotels, Offa.
The blasts, which occurred in quick succession, were heard loudly, according to residents who spoke to THE ICONIC TIMES 24.
The incident came only hours after reports circulated of a United States airstrike in northern Nigeria, heightening fear and speculation among residents, although official details on that development remain unclear.
Reacting, the Executive Chairman of Offa Local Government, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, addressed residents, calling for calm and urging people to avoid the area while security agencies carry out investigations.
An eyewitness, who was a resident in the Yidi neighborhood, said there was confusion and chaos. “We just heard a loud bang, then another. People started shouting. Nobody knew what was happening,” he said.
Another resident living close to the area said the sound felt like “something heavy falling from the sky,” adding that windows in nearby houses shook from the impact.
Some residents linked their fear to the reported airstrike in the North. “When we heard about the airstrike earlier, and then this happened, everyone became scared,” a shop owner said.
As of the time of filing this report, there is no confirmed information on the cause of the explosions. Security operatives have however been stationed around the scene.
This is a developing story and updates will be provided as more details emerge.
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