NNPC suspends oil exploration in Chad Basin Over B’Haram attack

• The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has suspended exploration for crude oil in the Lake Chad Basin, situated in parts of Borno State, following attacks on its workers and some military personnel by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, said the exercise had to be put on hold until the military could give the  corporation sufficient clearance to resume oil search in the region.

Kachikwu, who commiserated with the families of those killed by the insurgents, however, stated that the corporation got the necessary clearance from security agencies before embarking on the trip that led to the death of scores of persons on Tuesday.

He regretted that the team was ambushed by terrorists, but insisted that no work would be done at the site anytime soon.

Kachikwu said, “When incidents happen, they are important for two reasons; for the fact of their occurrence and also important for the lessons that you will take away. Obviously, the lesson for us is that we are going to look at the security apparatus and see whether there is a little bit more we can do.