In an emergency meeting held on Friday, January 26, at the Minister of Solid Minerals Development’s office in Abuja, Oladele Alake called upon manufacturers of mine explosives to address alleged leakages from their factories by enhancing security and logistics in their operations.
Expressing concern over the widespread access of unauthorized individuals to explosives and their indiscriminate storage across the country, Alake emphasized the need for manufacturers to take immediate action. The minister revealed these issues during a statement issued by his special assistant on media, Segun Tomori.
Highlighting the government’s ongoing review of the system for tracking explosive movement from manufacturers to end-users, Minister Alake urged manufacturers to investigate and identify any employees involved in illicit sales or manufacturing of explosives.
Representatives from the three licensed explosive manufacturers—Solar Nigachem Limited, Intrachem Limited, and Dynatrac Limited—attended the meeting. Biodun Abu, CEO of Intrachem Limited and chairman of the Association of Commercial Explosives Dealers, spoke on behalf of the companies.
He explained that manufacturers have adhered to government regulations by implementing security surveillance measures, including deploying Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in their factories and coding explosives for easy tracking.
Abu further noted that manufacturers and their clients obtain approvals for escorts to transport explosives to end-users but face challenges in verifying potential leakages when the goods reach their destination.
The Director of the Mines Inspectorate Department in the Ministry of Solid Minerals, Imam Ganiyu, introduced the manufacturers earlier in the meeting. Ganiyu highlighted that explosives manufactured in Nigeria are slurry and require detonators for activation.
He mentioned that although Nigeria banned the use of dynamite for mining operations in 2007, neighboring countries such as Cameroon and Mali still use these explosives. Ganiyu warned that such explosives might illegally enter Nigeria through its borders.
Other attendees at the meeting included Maureen Tiamiyu and A. Muibi of Solar Nigachem Limited, Chidi Opara and Ohio Musa of Dynatrac Limited, Engineer Yomi Aluko of Intrachem Limited, Engr Babajide Alatise of Tuntise Investment Limited, and Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan.
