Northern governors employ British firm for oil exploration in the North

A British firm has been appointed by the 19 northern state governments to carry out the exploration activities for oil and gas. This move is coming two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari gave the order to the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) to commence the exploration of oil in the north. 
The Northern Nigeria Development Company which is owned by the 19 northern states revealed that the exploration for oil and gas in the Lake Chad and Benue basins had commenced using the services of the British company. 

Mallam Bashir Dalhatu who is the chairman of the development company gave detailed explanation in Katsina when the company’s board and management met with Governor Aminu Masari, during their fact-finding visit to the state “We have engaged a British company that is already working in the Lake Chad region and from Niger and Chad side in the same area with us and we have been meeting with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in order to put efforts together.. 
 “The Federal Government has also re-emphasised to us, during those meetings, its total support for exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in the North-East of the country.” Dr. Ibe Kachikwu who is the minister of state for petroleum resources had said that the federal government would begin oil drilling activities in the Chad Basin from the third quarter of this year.