•The culprits should be brought to justice

In his condolence message to the government and people of Oyo State over last Tuesday’s devastating explosion in Ibadan which killed two persons, wounded many others and wreaked havoc on buildings and vehicles, President Bola Tinubu said it was “worrisome that the cause of the blast is being attributed to the activities of illegal miners.” He added that those behind the inexcusable and reckless behaviour “must be fished out and punished.” Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier confirmed on his X handle (formerly Twitter) that preliminary investigations by the security agencies revealed that illegal miners occupying one of the houses in Bodija “had stored explosive devices there which caused the blast.”

While we join in commiserating with the families of those who lost loved ones, it is important for the authorities to understand what this issue is about. Yes, illegal mining is criminal and should be dealt with. But the Ibadan explosion is a recurring tragedy that speaks to careless handling and storage of non-military explosives. We therefore hope that beyond punishing those that may have been responsible for the Ibadan tragedy, efforts should be made to address the issue of how explosives are handled in the country. That will entail enacting new legislation.

The Explosives Act of January 1967 which makes “provisions for the control of explosives for the purpose of maintaining and securing public safety; and for purposes connected therewith” is long overdue for review. Although the Act deals with such issues as “the manufacture, storage, transport or use of explosives; the ownership or possession of explosives (including changes of ownership or possession,” etc., many of the provisions and the prescribed punishments for offences are evidently out of tune with current realities. Passing a law that is fit for purpose should be a priority for the National Assembly.

In December 2012, an 11-year-old boy was killed, and 15 houses razed in the popular Jankara market after a huge explosion went off at the Oroyiyin\Jankara axis on Lagos Island. The explosion occurred after a warehouse used to store fireworks was set ablaze following an accidental trigger. The fire spread to the adjoining buildings. In April 2020, there was an explosion on the Akure-Owo Expressway which led to large scale destruction of buildings, shops, schools, churches, petrol stations and more. The force of the explosion created a huge crater on the road making it impassable for weeks. Mercifully, students of the Aina Awawu International College, a boarding school close by, were home on account of the raging Covid-19 at the time. But no fewer than 20 people sustained various degrees of injuries.

According to reports confirmed by security agencies and the late Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a vehicle transporting explosive devices to a storage facility in a neighbouring state developed a fault while in transit along the Akure – Owo Road. Security personnel and other individuals transporting the ordinances noticed smoke from the vehicle. After several attempts to extinguish the resulting fire failed, the vehicle and its consignment ignited, causing a massive explosion that was felt in Akure and its environs.

While those responsible for the Ibadan explosion should be brought to justice, it is also important that we find a lasting solution to a wave of explosions that have become sources of avoidable loss of lives and property. That will entail finding a lasting solution to the way explosives are transported and where they should be stored to end these recurring tragedies.

Update news