A yet-to-be-identified man reportedly fell from one of the upper floors of the iconic 26-storey Cocoa House in Ibadan, Oyo State, early Monday morning, sparking panic within the business community around the area.
According to eyewitness accounts, the fall was both sudden and shocking.
“At first, I thought it was a big bird dropping from the sky,” one witness said. “It wasn’t until the person hit the ground that I realised it was a human being. I had my phone but couldn’t even record — I was too stunned.”
Another bystander described the horrifying moment the victim struck a nearby rooftop before crashing to the ground:
“He hit the roof next to the security post before landing. It was a terrifying scene.”
As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding the circumstances of the fall remain unclear, with investigations ongoing.
Confirming the incident, Victor Ayetoro, Head of Branding and Communication at Odu’a Investment Company Limited, which manages the building, issued a statement on Tuesday:
“The individual was promptly attended to by emergency response personnel and rushed to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for urgent medical care.”
Ayetoro added that the company is deeply concerned about the incident and is fully cooperating with relevant authorities to determine the cause.
Cocoa House, a historic landmark and the tallest building in West Africa when it was completed in 1965, houses several businesses and offices.
