Mkpoikana Udoma
30 June 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — The Federal College of Education, Technical, in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State, has been shut down following a gas explosion from a pipeline allegedly belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC.
The gas explosion according to the college occurred since on Wednesday, and the fume and fire emanating from the explosion was affecting students and teachers in the school.
Speaking, the Public Relations Officer of the college, Mr Charles Otoboh, who confirmed the incident, said the gas explosion has disrupted academic activities and also destroyed farms belonging to the college.
Otoboh also disclosed that the pipeline conveys gas from Agip facility in Omoku to Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Limited.
He further stated that efforts by the college to reach the management of NAOC as well as Indorama Petrochemicals have proved abortive, saying that letters sent to the two companies were not been replied.
According to him, “The gas explosion, apart from disrupting academic and administrative activities also destroyed many valuables, including college farms and students demonstration farms.
“The pipeline is used by Agip to supply gas to Indorama. We have written to Indorama and we are still awaiting their response we also put a call across Agip but they did not respond to our call.
“For now the college is temporarily closed,” the PRO said.
Meanwhile, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, has confirmed the gas pipeline explosion incident in Omoku.
South-South Zonal Director of NOSDRA, Mr. Cyrus Nkangwung, who confirmed the explosion to our correspondent on the telephone, explained that the agency was yet to visit the incident site.