The Minister of State Petroleum Resources Mr Timipre Sylva said Federal government will soon commence oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin.
Mr Sylva made this known while briefing newmens shortly after a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai at the headquarters Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri on Thursday.
He disclosed that there is relative peace in Borno state and the Lake Chad area informed the decision for the exploration and drilling activities.
He also seek the collaboration of the Chief of Army Staff in providing enough security to secure the installations and workers on the field.
“We want to commence exploration a d drilling activities here because we believe that there is relative peace in the area enough for us to continue drilling activities in the northeast.
“As you may well know, we have found oil in Gombe and we believe that there is a lot of oil to be found in the Lake Chad Basin.
“We have seen a lot of prospects in the Chad Basin and we want to commence exploration and drilling activities and that’s why we are collaborating with the Nigerian Army to ensure that security is provided for activities to commence very soon.”he said.
The Minister commended the sacrifice and galantry of the Nigerian Army in the fight against insurgency in the Northeast.
“I just want to Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria Army for the great job they continue perform in the northeast.” Sylvia thanked.
The Minister of State Petroleum was accompanied on the visit by Group Managing Director of NNPC, Alhaji Mele Kyari, Group General Manager Frontier Exploration Services Mohammed Ali among other officers.
It would be recalled that insurgents abducted 5 lecturers of the University of Maiduguri who went on oil descovery at Gajigana area of Borno which led to killing one of them and later the remaining four regain their freedom sometimes 2018.