The Senate yesterday passed a bill to regulate the manufacturing, use of importation, sales and possession of explosives in the country.
This followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy chaired by Senator Tanko Al-Makura.
The bill, which sought to repeal the Explosives Act 1964 and re-enact the Explosives Act, proposed life imprisonment for manufacturers of illegal explosives.
It states that, “any person who unlawfully manufactures any explosives, commit an offence and is liable to conviction to life imprisonment without an option of fine”.
Senator Adelere Oriolowo, who presented the report on behalf of the committee’s chairman, described the problem associated with the use, shipment, manufacture, sale and possession of explosives is huge.
He said criminals were getting more innovative in the use of explosives to perpetrate crimes.
He said suicide bombers had killed dozens of Nigerians using explosives.
