crater nigeria explosion akure

The crater caused by the Ondo explosion in Nigeria
On March 28 morning, a massive explosion rocked a suburb of the city of Akure, the capital of the southern Nigerian State of Ondo.

According to Nigerian sources, the explosion split Akure-Owo road and inflicted serious damage on dozens of houses, 50 to 100, as well as a school and churches.

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, revealed that the explosion was a an accident. According to the governor, a fire broke out in a vehicle within a convoy transporting explosives to a storage facility in a neighboring state, which caused the explosion.
"Security personnel and other individuals transporting the ordinances noticed smoke from the vehicle. After several attempts to extinguish the resulting fire failed, the vehicle and its consignment ignited causing a massive explosion that was felt in Akure and its environs," Akeredolu said, according to Punch, adding "I have directed that the area be cordoned off to allow the explosive ordinance department/bomb squad to extricate the vehicle buried underground because it is unclear if there are still explosives that are yet to be detonated."
Initial, the massive explosion was thought to be caused by a terrorist attack with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) or even a small asteroid impact.





Nigerian authorities are now searching for any possible casualties of the explosion. Local source reported no missing people or deaths after the incident.