RESIDENTS of Offa, a major commercial town in Kwara State, were thrown into panic late Thursday night after explosions rocked parts of the community, damaging properties and triggering widespread fear, barely hours after the United States announced airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in northwest Nigeria.
The incident, which occurred around midnight on Christmas Day, was reported at two different locations within Offa, heightening anxiety among residents already on edge following news of the US military action in Sokoto State.
Eyewitnesses told News Point Nigeria that the first explosion struck buildings around the Eid praying ground area, a densely populated part of the town. Moments later, a second blast was heard near Solid Worth Hotel, located about a five-minute walk from the initial site.
Residents said the loud explosions shattered windows, damaged structures, and sent people fleeing from their homes in fear, with many initially suspecting a terror-related attack.
Further investigations revealed that an undetonated explosive object was discovered at the second location dug in the road, prompting security agencies to immediately cordon off the affected areas and restrict access while investigations commenced.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact source and nature of the explosions remained officially unconfirmed.
Confirming the incident, the Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman of Offa Local Government Area, Abiola Azeez Babatunde, said the council was aware of the situation and had activated emergency response measures.
In a statement released on Friday, Babatunde said: “The Offa Local Government has taken note of reports circulating regarding a suspected ordnance-related incident that occurred in the precinct of Offa Yidi Praying Ground on December 25, 2025. The affected areas have been cordoned off by security agencies to allow for a thorough investigation.”
He disclosed that the Executive Chairman of Offa Local Government Area, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, visited the affected locations shortly after the incident to personally assess the situation and engage security officials on ground.
“The Executive Chairman visited the location immediately after the incident to assess the situation firsthand,” the statement said.
The council chairman appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with authorities, warning against the spread of unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic.
“He calls on all residents of Offa to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding. Citizens are also advised to verify information through credible and official sources to avoid spreading fear and panic,” the statement added.
A senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, told The PUNCH that preliminary findings suggested the object that struck buildings in Offa was a component of a missile rather than an improvised explosive device.
According to him, the incident may be indirectly linked to the US-led airstrikes carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities against terrorist targets in Sokoto State.
“You know there was an airstrike by the United States in collaboration with the Nigerian government against terrorists in Sokoto. The operation involved more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a US warship from the Gulf of Guinea,” the official said.
“What was found in Offa is not a bomb itself but a component from one of the missiles launched,” he added.
However, there has been no official confirmation from either Nigerian or US authorities establishing a direct link between the Offa incident and the airstrikes in Sokoto.
The explosions in Offa came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against ISIS targets in parts of northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day.
The timing of the Offa incident has nonetheless intensified public anxiety, with residents and civil society groups calling on security agencies to increase surveillance, improve public communication, and clarify the circumstances surrounding the explosions.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.
“Discrete investigations are ongoing to ascertain precisely what happened. Please be patient,” she said.
Offa is located approximately 540 to 550 kilometres from Sokoto State, where the US strikes reportedly occurred.
As of Friday morning, no casualties had been officially reported, and neither the Kwara State Government nor federal security agencies had issued a comprehensive statement detailing the findings of the investigation.