The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi has pledged the commitment of the institution to go the whole hug with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the search for commercial hydrocarbon deposits in the Chad basin despite the recent insurgent attack.
The don stated this over the weekend in Maiduguri while receiving a delegation from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the NNPC led by Engr. Saidu Mohammed, Chief Operating Officer in charge of gas and power unit of the Corporation.
According to a statement from the NNPC, Prof. Njodo told the delegation that though the entire University community was distraught by the cruel incident of July 25th 2017, the University cannot “Chicken out” from doing what it is supposed to do when eventually the NNPC re-organizes and return to exploration work in the area.
Tracing the University’s partnership with the Corporation to over 12 years ago when the NNPC teed-off exploration activities in the Chad Basin, the UniMaid VC described the cruel attack on the Frontier Exploration Services/Surface Geochemistry Sampling team comprising the NNPC, Consultants from University of Maiduguri, Consultants attached to the Integrated Data Services Limited, (IDSL) a subsidiary of the NNPC and Civilian escort team, as an act of God.
He noted that the situation; painful as it might appear must be seen as a necessary sacrifice for the development of the country.
Prof. NjodI, however, called on the NNPC to stand firm beside the University and the families of the bereaved and provide the much needed support to overcome the massive setback wrought by the insurgent attack.
Responding, Engr. Mohammed said as a responsible corporate entity the NNPC would do everything within its means to support the University and the families of the victims of the attack.
“We have been great partners with the University of Maiduguri for many years and certainly when losses like this happen and under this circumstance, we cannot abandon our partners to their fate,’’ Engr. Mohammed said.
Meanwhile the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru upon return of the Delegation over the weekend, announced some short term palliatives for victims of the attacks.