Residents of Offa, Kwara State, were thrown into fear late Thursday night after explosions shook parts of the town, destroying property and raising security concerns, just hours after the United States carried out airstrikes on ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. The blasts reportedly occurred around midnight on Christmas Day at two separate locations. Witnesses told The PUNCH that the first explosion affected buildings near the Eid praying ground, while a second occurred close to Solid Worth Hotel, about a five-minute walk from the first site. An undetonated device was reportedly discovered at the second location, prompting heightened security measures. The exact source and nature of the explosions were still unclear at the time of reporting. Confirming the incident, Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman of Offa Local Government, Abiola Azeez Babatunde, said the council was aware of online reports about the explosions. “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 thorough investigation,” Babatunde said. He added that the Local Government Chairman, Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, visited the scene immediately to assess the situation firsthand. “The Executive Chairman, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, visited the location immediately after the incident to assess the situation. Residents are urged to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding while security agencies carry out their investigations,” the statement added. A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH that the objects that struck buildings in Offa were components from a missile, not conventional explosives. “There was an airstrike by the US 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 in the Gulf of Guinea. What was found in Offa is not a bomb but a component of a missile that was launched,” the source said. The explosions came shortly after US President Donald Trump confirmed airstrikes targeting ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria, particularly Sokoto State. While there is no official link between the US strikes and the Offa incident, the timing has heightened public anxiety, with residents calling for increased security and clarification from authorities. The Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident, stating that investigations are ongoing. “Discrete investigations are ongoing to reveal exactly what happened. Please be patient,” she said. Offa is located roughly 540 to 550 kilometres from Sokoto. As of Friday morning, no casualties had been reported, and the state government and security agencies have yet to release a detailed statement on the explosions.
