The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has suspended its exploration for crude oil in the Lake Chad Basin following attacks on its workforce and some military personnel by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said the exercise had to be put on hold until the corporation gets sufficient clearance to resume its oil search in the region from the military.
Kachikwu, who commiserated with the families of victims killed by the insurgents, however, stated that the corporation got the necessary clearance from security agencies before embarking on the trip last Tuesday.
He regretted that the team was ambushed by terrorists, but insisted that no work will happen at the site anytime soon.
The commercial oil found in neighboring Chad Republic had encouraged the NNPC, on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari, to intensify and focus its exploratory work in the inland basins on the Chad Basin and Benue Trough areas.
In November 2016, it resumed exploration activities in Gubio; Magumeri; Monguno; Kukawa; Abadam; Guzamala; and Mobar, after getting security advice from the military.
Meanwhile, Kachikwu said he could not confirm if the 10 abducted Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation staff has been rescued.
The minister, who spoke to journalists at the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Thursday, said, “We only heard, but can’t confirm if anyone has been rescued.
