…Hails military’s rescue efforts

From: Uche Usim, Abuja

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Thursday, suspended hydrocarbon exploratory works in Nigeria’s Chad basin and Benue trough areas until the ministry secures sufficient security clearance from relevant military authorities.

Kachikwu spoke with journalists, in Abuja, against the backdrop of Tuesday’s fatal attack  on members of the Frontier Exploration Services/Surface Geochemistry sampling team comprising Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Constultants from University of Maiduguri, Military and civilian escort in the Magumeri area of Borno State by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

The minister said the incident left his staff and, by extension, the entire nation in grave shock.

While commiserating with families of the deceased, Kachikwu hailed the military authorities for rescuing some of the kidnapped staff of the NNPC.

He said the NNPC team moved into the Chad basin for exploratory activities since November 2016 based on the advice of  military authorities that Boko Haram sect had been decimated.

According to him, the attack left casualties, both on the part of the military and the NNPC, adding the exact number of the deceased was being expected from security agencies.

“This attack occurred involved the convoy of the NNPC Frontier Exploration Services (FES) and the Surface Geochemistry Sampling Crew comprising two consultants attached tot the Integrated Data Services Limited, an NNPC subsidiary, one consultant attached to FES and nine NNPC staff, external consultants from the University of Maiduguri, military personnel and members of Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF). They were ambushed by suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

“The team was returning to Maiduguri town after conducting survey mapping/geological study of part of the Lake Chad Basin in preparating for seismic activities. It was their last day. Our areas of focus are Gubio, Magumeri, Monguno, Kukawa, Abadam, Guzamala and Mobar.

“Following the attack, the security agencies were notified and search and rescue team of the 5th Brigade of the Nigerian Army quickly deployed to the location for possible rescue of missing victims. An in-house security team comprising NNPC security operatives and others was quickly despatched to Maiduguri to liaise with other stakeholders in the incident investigation area.

However, we will support the families of the deceased. This is part of the dangers of working in our type of terrain”, the Minister explained.

Kachikwu however said there were important lessons to learn from the gory incident.

“We will look at our security apparatus and where we have to fortify or something. We have over 200 security men that went with the team. They were well protected. We will see if more protection needs to put in place. But before we go back, security must clear us just like we did not go in without them. We cannot abandon this work. It is just like abandoning the Niger-Delta region during the peak of the crisis there. We still operated under security cover. So, once we are cleared. We will go back. Across the Chad, our neighbours are drilling. We’re not alone in this”, he added.