Casualties as deadly explosion rocks Ibadan on Tuesday

By Matthew Denis

Pandemonium as people have been feared dead and several houses destroyed following a suspected bomb explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident happened just before 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday when a very large “blast” or “explosion” was heard in and near the city.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion or where it originated. Windows were reportedly blown out at several locations, including at a pharmacy and a restaurant.

It was gathered that the Ace Mall in Bodija has allegedly collapsed following the explosion in the South-West state.

Though the cause of the ibadan expulsion could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report, a resident of Orogun said she heard the deafening sound, saying, “It felt like a tremor that shook the house.”

Another source in the Agbowo area said he heard it was a gas explosion. However, this could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for the Oyo State police command, Adewale Osifeso, and the state fire service were yet to state the Ibadan explosion