President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to embark on a search towards oil exploration in the north, precisely, the Benue canal. Benue canal is a major geological formation underlying a large part of Nigeria, extending about 1,000km North-East from the Bight of Benin to Lake Chad.

It should be noted, however, that this is the second time in three weeks, President Buhari has given the NNPC an express order concerning this action. Hence, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikaniti Baru, disclosed this while receiving a delegation from the Benue State Government, who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

“Very close home, we have exploration activities on the Frontier Basin that is in the Chad; and there are some areas close to the Kolmani River where Shell has made an indicative discovery of hydrocarbons and Mr. President has directed me to go into that area to further explore the magnitude and prospects of those finds,” said Baru.

Consequently, the 19 northern state governors are anxious about the prospects of oil production in their domain as they have hired a British firm through the Northern Nigeria Development Company, which they jointly own, to carry out the exploration activities.

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