TheCable

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, has signed an executive order that mandates residents storing harmful substances in residential areas to notify authorities within 72 hours.

The governor signed the executive order on the possession and safe handling of harmful substances on Wednesday at the government house, in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The signing of the order “001 of 2024”, followed the January 16 explosion in the Bodija axis of Ibadan which killed five residents and injured over 70 others.

The governor had said the blast was caused by explosive devices stored in a residential apartment by illegal miners.

Speaking on the executive order, Biodun Aikomo, attorney-general of the state and commissioner for justice, said the law applies to multiple harmful substances.

Aikomo said the order “mandates anyone in possession of harmful substances in residential areas, whether they have a licence or not, to notify the government within 72 hours”.

“If you store gas in a way that is irresponsible and can make heat trigger an explosion, it becomes harmful and would have the same dangerous consequences that are negative to human existence,” he said.

“So, what this Order has done is to say that the government, not being super-human, cannot know what people have stored in their respective homes.

“And it is to say, any company or individual that has harmful substances stored in residential houses should notify the state government.

“And this obligation takes effect immediately and they are required to report within 72 hours to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security.

“After that, the Special Adviser will arrange for evacuation in a very safe and decent manner, working with other law enforcement agencies.

“Going forward, anybody who has harmful substances in Oyo State, it does not matter if you have a licence to hold it, you have a duty to notify the Special Adviser to the governor so that we are sure you are not endangering the lives of other people around you.

“And this will be on until the governor revokes the Executive Order.”