Panic in Igbeti as rock fragments fall from Iyamopo Hill

By Adejayan Gbenga

There was palpable fear in Igbeti, a town known for its rocky terrain in Olorunsogo Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Saturday when parts of a popular rock — Iyamopo Hill — began to break into smaller fragments, causing a series of minor eruptions.

The incident left residents, especially those living near the base of the mountain, in shock and panic.

Though no casualties were reported, experts suggest the phenomenon is known as “sheeting,” a natural geological process that occurs when pressure on the outer layers of rock is reduced, leading to the peeling or breaking off of surface layers.

The Head of the Disaster Management Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, DCC Olasedidun A.G., confirmed the incident.

“It was gathered from our officers today that an activity suspected to be a landslide occurred in Igbeti, Olorunsogo Local Government Area. Observations from the scene indicated that there was an initial and sudden noise of an explosion, precisely on the mountain popularly called Iyamopo Hill,” DCC Olasedidun said.

He explained that the blast was followed by the gradual disintegration of rocks down the hill, triggering a landslide. He added that a similar event occurred on the same hill last year and was believed to have been caused by intense heat recorded on the mountain.

While allaying residents’ fears, he assured that authorities are monitoring the situation closely.