Residents of Offa, Kwara State, were thrown into panic on Boxing Day after metallic objects fell from the sky into several parts of the town, damaging buildings and sparking fears of an aviation incident.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud mechanical sound before heavy metal fragments crashed into residential areas, including Adeleke and Yidi communities. No casualties were recorded, but at least two buildings were damaged, including sections of a hotel and a residential fence.
Security sources have since confirmed that the debris originated from expendable components of a long-range precision military projectile used in a counterterrorism operation targeting terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State. The strike was reportedly part of a joint operation involving Nigerian security forces and allied international assets.
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Analysts explained that the objects were discarded booster stages or casings designed to separate mid-flight after fuel exhaustion, allowing the warhead to continue to its intended target. The projectile’s flight path, launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea region, passed over parts of North Central Nigeria, including Kwara State.
Local residents initially feared a plane crash. “We heard something tearing through the air, then metal fell,” said Mrs Biodun Alabi of Adeleke area. “We thank God nobody was hurt.”
Security experts have warned residents against touching the debris, noting that spent missile components may contain toxic chemical residues. Images circulating locally showed children handling the metallic fragments before authorities intervened.
Community leaders have called on the military to retrieve the debris and sanitise affected areas, while residents were advised to report any further findings to the Kwara State Police Command.
The operation targeted positions linked to the Lakurawa group, a jihadist faction operating in northwest Nigeria and believed to have crossed into the country from neighbouring Niger Republic, as security forces intensify efforts to dismantle emerging terror networks.
