Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has officially endorsed Executive Order 001 of 2024, focused on the Safe Handling and Storage of Harmful Substances within the boundaries of Oyo State.

The order was signed to prevent the kind of deadly explosion that rocked the state capital, Ibadan, on Tuesday, January 16.

SaharaReporters had reported that the explosion left at least five persons dead with over 70 others injured and over 50 houses burnt.

Mr Makinde in a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle explained that the “order specifies that anyone in possession of harmful substances in Oyo State must notify the relevant authorities within 72 hours of the effective date of this order (which is today) and subsequently, within 24 hours of coming into possession of the harmful substances.”

He said that failure to comply with the provisions of the Executive Order “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.”

Governor Makinde had said that a preliminary investigation into the devastating explosion revealed that it was caused by explosives stored by illegal miners occupying a house in the Bodija area of the metropolis.

Some days after the explosion, Governor Makinde delivered the report on the explosion to President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Tinubu has since ordered the arrest and prosecution of the ‘illegal miners’ who were reportedly responsible for the deadly explosion.

SaharaReporters reported on January 19, 2024, that some Malian immigrants were responsible for the explosion.

SaharaReporters gathered that a Malian national identified as Sawane Youssouf is the team leader for a mining operation in the Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State.

A document obtained by SaharaReporters from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed that Sawane Youssouf incorporated a mining company known as SDYB International Company Nigeria Limited with RC 511184.

The company was incorporated on May 17, 2004, as a private limited liability company with its registered address at NW6/96, Akintola Street, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The company’s status, according to the CAC document, said it was inactive.

Further investigation by SaharaReporters revealed that the company was not among those listed by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steal Development to have valid licences to carry out mining activities in Oyo State.

The ministry’s website had 297 mining operators with valid licences listed but SDYB International Company Nigeria Limited was not one of them.

The document stated that Sawane Youssouf along with a Nigerian, Bakare Hakeem Oladimeji and two other Malians; Darame Ibraima and Yattara Ibrahim, were the directors of the mining company.

Ajisafe Olaide is the company’s secretary, according to the CAC document.

The addresses listed for the Directors are as follows: Sawane Youssouf: NW6/96, Akintola Street, Ibadan Oyo; Darame Ibraima: 20, Asirakofa, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos; Yattara Ibrahim: NW6/96, Akintola Street, Ibadan, Oyo; and Bakare Hakeem Oladimeji: NW6/96, Akintola Street, Ibadan, Oyo.

As for the Secretary, Ajisafe Olaide, the address listed is No. 3. General Popoola Street, Agodi GRA, Ibadan, Oyo.

In the document, they claimed to be Nigerians by nationality but sources in the Bodija area said Sawane Youssouf and two of the directors of the company are Malians.

SaharaReporters learnt that Sawane Youssouf and his men had been stockpiling explosives in the house where there was an explosion (ground zero) for several years, intending to expand their mining business.

“The location is just a few distance away from the Oyo State Government Secretariat yet it went on unnoticed, even though it is a residential area.

“His greed and the government’s negligence have led to the loss of lives and property,” a resident said.

SaharaReporters also learnt that Sawane had been using Nigerian security operatives to carry out his mining business without any form of accountability.