- Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has rejected plans to relocate oil exploration equipment, citing improved security and local repair capacity.
- NNPC Board Chairman Ahmadu Musa Kida reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency as Borno pushes to advance exploration in the Chad Basin.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has opposed plans by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to move oil exploration equipment out of the state. He insists that improved security conditions support continued operations in the Chad Basin.
Zulum expressed his concerns in Maiduguri during a courtesy visit by NNPC Board Chairman Ahmadu Musa Kida. He criticised attempts to move critical exploration equipment elsewhere for safekeeping and repairs without prior consultation with state authorities.
“We were so much worried at the beginning when we were told that the equipment should be taken somewhere else for safekeeping,” Zulum said.
He questioned the rationale for relocating the equipment on security grounds. “Why is somewhere else safer than Borno State? Maybe Abuja is not safer than Maiduguri,” he said. The governor added that residents could move around Maiduguri safely at 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m.
Zulum also challenged plans to transport machinery to Taraba State for repairs. He argued that local technicians could handle the work and questioned why officials had not consulted the state government before moving the equipment.
“We just heard without notice that some of the equipment had started moving from the site to somewhere else,” he said. “There is nothing that we can’t repair in Borno State.”
Security Support for Exploration
Zulum rejected claims that insecurity had forced exploration activities to stop. He said the state government had deployed security personnel to protect NNPC operations and equipment at the Chad Basin site.
The security arrangements include hundreds of military personnel, police officers, Civilian Joint Task Force members, local hunters and vigilantes. According to Zulum, no security incident has occurred at the sites since operations resumed.
The governor said previous disruptions stemmed from administrative issues rather than security threats. He also disclosed that NNPC Energy Services Limited had recently notified the state government of plans to resume field operations.
Chad Basin’s Economic Potential
Zulum highlighted Borno’s strategic position along Nigeria’s borders with Chad, Niger and Cameroon. He argued that commercial hydrocarbon discoveries in the Chad Basin could transform the North-East into a major commercial hub serving West and Central Africa.
The governor assured NNPC’s leadership that his administration would support planned energy projects and help prevent unnecessary delays. Keeping exploration equipment in Borno, he argued, would support the continuation of activities in the region.
Kida acknowledged improvements in Maiduguri’s security situation. He said reconnaissance teams and the families of personnel had returned to the state.
The NNPC board chairman also reiterated the company’s commitment to transparency. He noted that the company reported more than $5 billion in profit during the previous financial year and operates as a commercial limited liability enterprise.
NNPC launched a major drilling campaign in Borno in May 2023. The campaign began at the Wadi-B well in the Tuba community of Jere Local Government Area.
The dispute over equipment relocation highlights the importance of security, operational planning and coordination between the national oil company and host authorities. The next steps will determine how NNPC balances equipment maintenance with continued exploration in the Chad Basin.