Residents of Offa in Kwara State were thrown into fear late Thursday night after loud explosions shook parts of the town, damaging several houses and shops.
The incident came shortly after United States President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out airstrikes targeting ISIS positions in parts of Nigeria. However, it is still unclear whether the explosions in Offa were linked to the reported U.S. strikes or were carried out by Nigerian security forces.
Eyewitnesses said debris fell from the sky after the blast, raising suspicions that an aerial device may have been involved.
A viral video showed what appeared to be metal fragments suspected to be parts of a drone bomb at the scene.
Residents said at least five houses and several shops were affected, with rubble scattered across the area. In the footage, affected residents could be seen calling on the Kwara State Government to urgently come to their aid.
Many locals expressed shock, questioning why Offa, known as a peaceful town, would experience such an incident. “Why would they drop a bomb here?” a resident asked, while another claimed remnants of a drone were seen after one of the buildings was destroyed.
A member of the local vigilante group who visited the scene confirmed that the explosions occurred around midnight.
He said one explosion damaged a hotel in the town, while another occurred near a prayer ground close to Ijagbo.
According to him, several houses and storey buildings were damaged, but no lives were lost..
