Oil Search Resumes in Lake Chad Basin

NNPC to Resume oil Exploration in Lake Chad Basin soon…

Petroleum Minister

By Sadiq Abubakar 

Following several appeals by North East States Governor Forum, the Shehu of Borno, HRH, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Ibn Umar El Kanemi, and Borno Elders and Stakeholders, the federal government is to resume oil exploration at the Lake Chad Basin region

This comes as peace gradually returns to Borno State, which had been faced the challenges of Boko Haram Insurgency in past past several years.

The  Honourable Minister of State for  Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Syllva led NNPC delegation comprising of the NNPC Group Managing Director, (GMD), Malam Kyari Meleh, Group General Manager,  Frontier Exploration Services, (FES), Alhaji Mohammed Ali  and General Manager Security, Alagji Bomai among other Staff officers from the offices of the Minister and GMD  to Maiduguri City Thursday for  Chad Basin Operations Meeting  at the Theater Command Headquarters  of Operation Lafiyà Dole, Maimalari Cantonment ,Maiduguri.

The meeting was held behind closed doors for about an hour with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai , Theater  Commander , Operation Lafiyà Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, GOC, 7 Division NA, Bri. Gen. Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim, Chief of Training and Operations, Maj. Gen. Nuhu Angbazo, Chief of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Adebayo, and other top Military officers.

Briefing Journalists immediately after the closed door meeting, the Honourable Minister said that they were in Maiduguri to appreciate the military and hold security meeting with the top military officials on the possibility of resuming oil exploration in the north east especially,  at the Lake  Chad Basin where oil  has already been discovered.

“We are here in Maiduguri to thank the military and appreciate them for what they are doing in providing security and restoring peace in the north east.

“Now that there is peace. Security has been provided by the military. We thank them for their doggedness and provision of security . Because with the military efforts now, we now have security. Everywhere is safe now and we can resume or commence oil exploration in the Lake Chad.

“We have oil in Gombe and there is abundant  oil also in the Lake Chad Basin. So, we are discussing on how the military can provide adequate security for us to commence oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin in the  North East Region

“And we shall soon resume the exploration in the Lake Chad Basin which we have started over the years”, Sylva said.

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