Oil Exploration to Resume in Chad Basin Despite Boko Haram Attack that Killed 69

Taibat Shittu

The Federal government may have resolved to resume oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin, despite a Boko Haram ambush that killed at least 69 people, last week Tuesday.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, had announced an indefinite suspension of oil exploration in the region, in the wake of the catastrophic attack.

Majority of those killed were members of the exploration team, comprising staff of the geology department of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), in Borno State, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) officials, military escorts and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.

The insurgents also abducted some of the victims, including three staff of UNIMAID. The three were later shown in a video released by Boko Haram, on Saturday.

But, spokesman for UNIMAID, Danjuma Gambo, told Reuters, on Friday, the university had resolved to continue with the exploration activities.

Gambo, who quoted the university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Abubakar Njodi, said: “The Vice chancellor said the University of Maiduguri won’t check out of the oil exploration in the Lake Chad despite the recent unfortunate incident.”

Also, an earlier statement by NNPC had quoted the vice chancellor as making the same pledge during a condolence visit to the university by a delegation from the state oil firm.