There Are Untapped Billions Of Barrels Of Oil In North, Says Sultan

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has said there are billions of untapped barrels of oil in the north.

Sultan said this at a meeting of members of the house of representatives from the north with some leaders in the rgion.

The meeting was conveyed with a view to urge northern leaders to take a position, as the national assembly is moving towards the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The caucus had commenced a two-day retreat on the bill, with Sultan; chairman of Arewa Conservative Forum (ACF), Audu Ogbeh; governor of Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, all in attendance at the Zuma Resort in Niger State.

At the meeting, the issue of exploration of oil in the north was at the forefront, with Sultan calling for more exploration of oil in the north.

The traditional ruler said there is sufficient oil deposit in the north to address poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.

“We continue to talk about poverty, unemployment and the attendant insecurity while we are sitting on billions of barrels of Hydrocarbon from Sokoto Basin to Chad Basin, and from Gongola to Bida and Benue Trouh Basins untapped,” Sultan said.

“We should have a PlB that will encourage massive hydrocarbon exploration in those Frontier Basins, a PlB that will attract foreign investors to bring their funds and deveIop the resources.”

Also speaking at the retreat, Ogbe urged the lawmakers to make sure they did not leave office broke.

He urged them to save while in office and invest the money.

“Let none of you leave the House broke,” the former Minister of Agriculture said to the lawmakers. Adding that if they should ignore the advice, they will be miserable for it.

“Develop a second address, a more permanent address which you can hand over to your children,” he stated.