Residents of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, are currently gripped by panic and confusion following an explosion that occurred on Tuesday evening at about 7:45 pm.
The incident has sparked uncertainty throughout the city as residents grapple with the aftermath of the unexpected event.
An eyewitness known as Olanipekun described the explosion as a deafening sound that was accompanied by a sudden cloudiness in the surroundings.
The explosion, centered around the Bodija area, was visible even to those in the University of Ibadan area, creating a sense of alarm around the environs. The magnitude of the explosion led to vibrations felt across various locations in Ibadan.
Our correspondent that the explosion prompted an immediate response from the state rescue team.
“Although rescue teams are on the ground, the exact cause and location of the explosion remain unknown at this time,” a source told The Guardian.
Another eyewitness on X said he narrowly escaped the explosion.
“I still don’t even know what’s happening here in Ibadan, all we heard was a massive blast but we are safe,” the X user said.
The rescue team are yet to speak on the incident at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde has called for calm amid panic from the explosion.
Commissioner for information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, in a statement said security service chiefs including para military chiefs and Fire Operatives have been deployed by the governor to Reign in the spillover from the explosion.
“There are various interpretations of the incident but it is important for us to state categorically that the state government has taken over and in the full control of the unfortunate occurrence in in order to mitigate the incident,” Oyelade said.
“All security service chiefs including para military chiefs and Fire Operatives have been deployed by the governor to Reign in the spillover from the explosion.
“His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde therefore implores citizens to calm down and be rest assured that their interests are being looked after.”
