Trendbrio.com

News and Entertainment Update

Live
News
Chinua Soludo Spreads Christmas Cheer by Paying Hospital Bills for Patients in Anambra 01
02
News
Sokoto Residents Report Alleged Drone Strikes By US
03
News
Sheikh Gumi Urges Nigerians to Embrace Peaceful Coexistence With Herdsmen to Prevent Security Risks
04
Entertainment
Toyin Abraham Accuses Cinemas of Swapping Tickets and Falsely Claiming Oversabi Aunty Is Sold Out
05
News
Panic In Kwara As Explosions Rock Offa Hours After US Airstrikes In Nigeria

Tag: Explosion

Panic In Kwara As Explosions Rock Offa Hours After US Airstrikes In Nigeria

Wale busari04 mins

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.

Read More

FG Knows Terror Sponsors but Lacks Courage to Prosecute — Ex-Defence Director Olawunmi

Fola Badmus04 mins

Former Deputy Director of Defence Administration at the Defence Headquarters, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd.), has accused the Federal Government of lacking the courage to prosecute those financing terrorism in Nigeria, despite having intelligence identifying them. In an interview, Olawunmi said religion and socio-cultural divisions remain major drivers of insecurity in the country, lamenting that the situation has worsened since his retirement in 2017. He urged President Bola Tinubu to act decisively, warning that attempts to be politically correct could embolden terrorists. He condemned recent meetings between northern leaders and armed groups, describing them as “an aberration” and “a symptom of a failed state.” According to him, any negotiation with terrorists undermines national authority and could lead to Nigeria’s eventual collapse if unchecked. “The power and security architecture of this country reside only in the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. If local governments or state officials negotiate with terrorists without federal approval, it sets a dangerous precedent,” Olawunmi said. The retired naval officer claimed that identified terror financiers are still operating freely because of their political connections. He alleged that some of them made vast fortunes during the Buhari administration and continue to wield influence, preventing their arrest or prosecution. “Tinubu should not be afraid of them,” he said. “He should call all intelligence chiefs together and order the arrest of both domestic and foreign sponsors of terrorism. Once they are tried and punished, terrorism will reduce by half.” Olawunmi also criticised the government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme for repentant terrorists, saying it was a dangerous misapplication of the UN Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) framework. He warned that reintegrating such individuals into the military could have grave long-term consequences for national security. He further argued that Nigeria’s political system enables corruption and dependency on powerful financiers, making it impossible for leaders to confront those who sponsored their rise to power. According to him, “you cannot arrest those who made you,” which explains why terror sponsors remain untouchable. On the handling of Nnamdi Kanu, Olawunmi criticised the government’s approach, describing it as unprofessional and politically motivated. Comparing it with the operation that led to the arrest of former MEND leader Henry Okah, he said Kanu’s rendition from Kenya was “poorly executed” and mishandled by security operatives. While commenting on President Tinubu’s recent pardon of some convicted criminals, Olawunmi said the President has the constitutional prerogative of mercy, adding that such actions may be influenced by diplomatic or intelligence considerations unknown to the public.

Read More