Northeast governors urge Tinubu to resume oil exploration in Kolmani, Lake Chad

By Kunle Sanni –

Governors of Nigeria’s Northeast region have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the resumption of oil exploration in the frontier wells of Kolmani and Lake Chad, describing it as crucial for economic growth and improved security in the region.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues during a courtesy visit to the President at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, said restarting exploration activities would not only complement ongoing military operations but also fast-track development across the sub-region.

Zulum commended President Tinubu for sustaining the fight against insurgency and for federal interventions aimed at addressing flooding, desertification, and other environmental challenges. He noted that the Northeast had endured decades of neglect, which worsened its developmental and environmental setbacks.

The governors expressed their support for the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, urging the federal government to pay special attention to unmanned forests, deserts, gorges, and rivers that serve as hideouts for insurgents. They pledged to collaborate with the government in deploying manpower and technology to reclaim such areas for agricultural use.

On security, the governors called for sustained military operations in several flashpoints, including Lake Chad, Dajin Madama, Mandara Hills, Sambisa Game Reserve, Mansur, Yelwa, Futuk, Kolmani areas, and Karin Lamido Forest. They also appealed for increased funding for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to strengthen operations in the Tumbus of Lake Chad.

Highlighting the region’s infrastructure needs, the governors listed key projects requiring urgent federal intervention, such as the Kano–Maiduguri road, Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway line, Bama–Mubi–Yola road, Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Damaturu road, and the Maiduguri–Monguno–Baga road.

Governor Zulum reaffirmed the Northeast governors’ commitment to working with President Tinubu in delivering good governance, adding that they hold the President in high regard and support his determination to leave lasting legacies for Nigeria.