Panic gripped the business community in Ibadan on Monday after a yet-to-be-identified man fell from one of the top floors of the iconic 26-storey Cocoa House building.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, sent shockwaves through the bustling premises, as stunned eyewitnesses described the terrifying moment the victim plummeted from the sky.
“At first, I thought it was a large bird falling,” one eyewitness recounted in disbelief. “It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being. I had my phone, but I couldn’t even record—my hands were shaking.”
The Punch quoted another witness as saying that the man hit the roof near the building’s security post before landing on the ground.
“It was a horrifying sight. People screamed and ran—it was chaos,” the witness added.
As of press time, the identity of the victim and the cause of the fall remained unclear, with authorities still piecing together the details of the disturbing event.
Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the managers of Cocoa House, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Victor Ayetoro, Head of Branding and Communication for the firm, “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.”
The company expressed its deep concern and assured the public of its full cooperation with investigators.
Built in 1965, Cocoa House is West Africa’s first skyscraper and remains one of Ibadan’s most prominent landmarks.
The chilling incident has now cast a dark shadow over the historic structure, as residents await answers on what led to the tragic fall.
