Makinde issues 72 hrs ultimatum to companies with explosives

Makinde issues 72 hrs ultimatum to companies with explosives

Oluwasegun Ajiboye

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, signed into law Executive Order 001, 2024 on the handling and storage of harmful substances in the state.

In a section of the order, the governor gave 72 hours ultimatum to anyone in the state in possession of any kind of explosives to declare them.

The new law came about two weeks after an explosion rocked the state capital, Ibadan, on January 16, killing five persons, and injuring 77 others with 58 houses destroyed in the Adeyi area of Old Bodija, Ibadan.

While the Federal Government has launched a probe into the incident, Makinde had said preliminary investigation linked the explosion to some explosives illegally stored in the residential area by some miners.

“Failure to comply with the provisions of this Executive Order, including the doing of any act with respect to, or omission to take proper precautions against any probable danger from any explosive in possession of any person, shall constitute an offence and shall be punishable under Chapter 38 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000 and any other applicable Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Makinde declared.