Panic in Akure as loud bang destroys houses, highway
Residents of Akure the capital city of Ondo state were thrown into a palpable tension and confusion on Saturday March 28, 2020 after a loud bang suspected to be from an explosion rocked the city in the early hours of the day.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred close to Ilu Abo town, along the Akure-Owo highway, a few kilometers away from the Akure Airport.
A resident Yomi Adebayo who spoke with Neusroom said the loud bang was heard around 12:55 am on Saturday.
“I was still awake when the incident occurred around 12:55am, from the sound I heard I don’t want to believe it is a bomb explosion as being speculated. A bomb explosion would have come with fire, but there was no fire at the scene,” Adebayo said.
“My sister who lives close to the scene also told me that her sitting room is filled with sand and some onlookers at the scene are claiming it is an asteroid after seeing the impact.”
The bang damaged houses close to the scene and also divided the highway linking Akure to Owo and other towns in the northern senatorial district of the state.
Some eyewitnesses said some residents were injured but the number of injured persons and the level of their injury could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) in a Twitter statement has asked residents to remain calm as security and other relevant agencies investigate the cause.
“I’ve been briefed by security agencies in the state concerning the loud blast that was heard in Akure. I will be at the scene to assess on the advise of heads of our security agencies. I ask that all citizens remain calm as we ascertain details of the incidence,” Akeredolu tweeted.
Some residents are speculating that the loud bang could have been from an explosive device while others are of the opinion that it could be from an asteroid projected by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to pass by earth in March and April.
Security operatives in the state are yet to react to the incident as at the time of filing this report.
