The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has established a committee to review the laws governing the control of explosives in Nigeria, following the deadly explosion in Ibadan, Oyo State. The explosion occurred due to the activities of illegal miners and resulted in casualties and extensive property damage.
The committee, comprising all security agencies, the Minister of Environment, and the Ministry of Solid Minerals, will investigate the incident and assess whether existing laws on explosives were violated by the illegal miners. The goal is to prevent similar incidents in the future and address issues related to environmental protection, mining, and forest protection.
The Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru, announced the committee’s formation after a meeting of the FEC chaired by President Bola Tinubu. The Council expressed concern about the explosion and emphasized the need to find lasting solutions to environmental degradation, illegal mining, and the control of explosives in the mining sector.
The investigation will consider various factors, including the storage of explosives by illegal miners and the possibility of gas explosions. Federal agents are on-site to ascertain the cause of the explosion and develop measures to prevent future occurrences.
