An explosion on Monday rocked a popular cooking gas plant located along Effurun/Sapele Road in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the fire at the gas station identified as NELMIC Gas Plant, located opposite the Effurun Post Office, started at about 10.30pm on Monday.
The cause of the explosion could not be immediately ascertained.
Witnesses reported that a loud sound heralded the fire which destroyed the gas plant completely.
It was also gathered that the raging fire was fast spreading to neighbouring residential buildings and a popular church in the area before the intervention of men of the fire service.
The number of casualties could not be ascertained as it was gathered that an unspecified number of persons were feared dead while several others sustained injuries.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, could not be reached for comments on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Also, the Kogi State Police Command confirmed an explosion that rocked the administrative office of the Okehi Local Government Area of the state. The explosion was said to have occurred on Monday evening.
The state PPRO, SP William Aya, confirmed the incident to PUNCH Metro on Tuesday in Lokoja.
It was gathered that some gunmen stormed the secretariat around 5pm and caused an explosion that damaged the administrative block of the secretariat.
Aya, however, said officers have been deployed to the area to ascertain the extent of the damage.
Also confirming the explosion, the state Security Adviser, Jerry Omadara, said the incident was traced to saboteurs who wanted to cause panic ahead of the elections to prevent people from coming out to vote.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Tuesday, said the state government was on top of the situation and had put in place measures to keep the people safe before, during and after the elections.
“This is our responsibility to all Kogites irrespective of their political affiliations. Those behind this would be fished out and severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others in their league,” Fanwo said.
He also called on residents of the local government to remain calm, while urging parents to properly guide their wards against being used as political thugs in the forthcoming elections.
