The Management of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, has categorically refuted recent allegations contained in an online publication accusing the institution of poor infrastructure, including claims of flooded classrooms and snake-infested hostels.
The Institute described the report as entirely false, malicious, and deliberately misleading.
In an official statement released Friday, PTI stated that the publication was an orchestrated attempt to tarnish its hard-earned reputation and disrupt the significant progress recorded under the current leadership.
“The claims are factually inaccurate and mischievous,” the statement read. “There are no flooded lecture halls or snake-infested hostels anywhere on campus. Our classrooms, laboratories, workshops, and hostels are in good and habitable condition.
“No verifiable complaint, visual evidence, or eyewitness account supports the claims made.”
The Institute emphasized that PTI remains one of the most secure, serene, and well-maintained federal tertiary institutions in the country, with uninterrupted power supply for up to 20 hours daily, supported by public electricity and industrial-grade generators.
In addition, solar-powered streetlights and regular infrastructure maintenance are actively carried out by the Services Directorate.
Challenging the credibility of the report, PTI called for the provision of valid evidence, including statements from student union officials or hostel representatives.
“Our student leaders, who reside on campus, are directly involved in overseeing student welfare and would have promptly raised any concerns of this nature,” the statement added.
Addressing the reference to a ₦39 billion budget, PTI clarified that the amount is part of the national appropriation and covers a broad range of expenses, including capital projects, staff remuneration, operations, and training programs.
These funds, the Institute explained, are subject to strict oversight by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and other regulatory agencies.
“It is intellectually dishonest to suggest misappropriation without acknowledging the structure and conditional release mechanisms of federal funding. Every allocation is audited and subject to rigorous due process,” the statement said.
The Institute further addressed accusations of abandoning its hallmark hands-on training, insisting that PTI remains a leading institution in oil and gas education, with an enviable track record in industry-based learning.
“We have consistently trained staff for Nigeria’s major refineries and hosted students from countries including Angola, Uganda, Benin Republic, and Sao Tome and Principe.
“Universities across Nigeria continue to send their engineering students here for mandatory industrial training,” PTI noted.
Recently, the Africa Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and representatives of the Republic of Niger visited the PTI campus and endorsed it as a potential Regional Centre of Excellence for oil and gas training in Africa, a testament to the Institute’s growing continental relevance.
PTI expressed strong displeasure at attempts to drag its Principal and CEO into the matter, describing it as a distraction from the administration’s ongoing efforts to enhance infrastructure, promote research, and deepen industry collaborations.
While reaffirming its commitment to transparency and academic excellence, the Institute called for responsible journalism and condemned the use of unverified information to mislead the public.
“We welcome constructive criticism rooted in truth. However, sensationalism and defamatory reporting do a disservice to the mission of education and development,” the statement concluded.
PTI is demanding an immediate retraction of the false report and a formal apology within 48 hours, warning that failure to comply will result in legal action under the provisions of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 and other applicable defamation laws.
The Institute also urged staff, students, and stakeholders to disregard the misleading publication and remain steadfast in their support for PTI’s vision of excellence in petroleum and energy education.
