Ibadan explosion: Deadly blast affects several suburbs of Nigerian city

 According to preliminary findings, explosives kept in a residence by unauthorized miners may have been the source of the explosion.

A massive explosion in the Nigerian city of Ibadan killed two people and injured 77 others overnight.

The third-most populous city in Nigeria has seven suburbs where rescue and recovery operations are still underway.

Although the exact origin of the explosion is still unknown, the officials believe that mining explosives kept in a residence may have set it off.

Images display vehicles smashed by shelling and structures nearly reduced to rubble.

On social media, people have been sharing dramatic videos of the destruction of a mall in the city's residential neighborhood of Bodija, according to one witness.

About 7:30 p.m., we hear a huge bang. "Demolished were Bodija's Ace Mall and Domino's Pizza," he stated.

Police have pledged to look into the explosion as soon as possible.

"Preliminary investigations by the security agencies revealed that illegal miners occupying one of the houses in Bodija had stored explosive devices there which caused the blast," stated Seyi Makinde, the governor of the province.