In the wake of the recent explosion at Bodija, Ibadan, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, signed an executive order on “The Safe Handling and Storage of Harmful Substances within Oyo State.” The executive order 001 of 2024, signed at the Oyo governor’s office, State Secretariat, Ibadan, aims at stemming and managing illegal possession, handling, and storage of harmful articles and substances.
The order mandates that any individual, group of persons, or organization(s) bringing in or in possession of harmful articles or substances of any kind, “that can be detonated by pressure, heat, impact trigger, fuse, proximity, timing-device, remote control, irrespective of quantity or purpose, or hazard characteristics, must immediately notify the Special Adviser to the Governor of Oyo State on Security of such possession.”
Those presently housing such harmful substances or articles anywhere in the state are mandated to notify the state government within 72 hours from Wednesday. Subsequently, anyone bringing in such substances must notify the state government within 24 hours. The notification must comprehensively detail the “type, quantity, and precise location of all such substances possessed; the purpose of possession and any relevant licenses or permits held; and security measures in place for storage and handling.”
Upon notification, a team comprising relevant security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Technicians, shall ascertain the risk posed by the storage. Those deemed high risk due to quantity, type, or storage conditions shall be prioritized for immediate evacuation and secure storage.
The executive order further stipulates that cases deemed high-risk shall be immediately isolated, disarmed, and, where necessary, disposed of by the BDS and the EOD. High-risk situations include cases exceeding designated safe quantities, storage in unapproved or unsafe locations, possession without or with fake certificates, or lacking proper security measures.
Individuals or companies in possession of harmful articles or substances are to bear all the costs accrued for evacuation and safekeeping. Companies operating within Oyo State are mandated to file their Disaster Management and Mitigation Plans on storage, transportation, and handling of such articles or substances alongside licenses and permits received from the federal Ministry of Solid Minerals not later than the 5th day of every month.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this executive order is deemed an offense 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. To enforce compliance, the order grants the Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, in collaboration with other security agencies, the power to arrest, conduct inspections, and seize non-compliant harmful articles or substances.