LATEST: Bauchi, Gombe Fight Dirty Over New Oil Wells

A crisis appears to be brewing over control of the Kolmani Oil and Gas field, with both Bauchi and Gombe States claiming the oil wells.

Officials and people in both states have also accused each other of wanting to seize the site, which is thought to hold one billion barrels of crude oil and 500 billion standard cubic feet of gas.

The news comes just two weeks after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret. ), officially launched oil exploration in the Kolmani oil field by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited and its joint venture partners.

Buhari Launches Commercial Oil Production In North

North-East Kolmani Nigeria apparently contains commercial quantities of oil with Oil Prospecting Licences 809 and 810, which intersect Kolmani One, Two, Three, Four and Five.

Speaking during the event, Buhari disclosed that the project has attracted over $3bn investments so far.

The president said, “We are pleased with the current discovery of over 1b barrels of oil reserves and 500 billion Cubic Feet of Gas within the Kolmani area and the huge potential for more deposits as we intensify exploration efforts.’’

“It is, therefore, to the credit of this administration that at a time when there is near zero appetite for investment in fossil energy, coupled with the location challenges, we are able to attract investment of over $3bn to this project,” he added.

Buhari stated that the governors of Bauchi and Gombe states had assured him of their steadfast commitment and determination to ensure local support and collaboration.

2023: Nigeria Must Look Beyond Oil – Peter Obi

The governors’ guarantees, however, appeared to have been forgotten as the two states declared themselves to be the true owners of the oil-rich region.

While insisting on Gombe’s ownership of the contentious Kolmani field, Alhaji Ahmed Gara-Gombe, Special Adviser to Gombe State Governor on Information Management and Strategy, blamed the controversy on the boundary commission.

He stated, “The truth of the matter is that the Kolmani oil well is in Gombe State; Akko Local Government, Pindiga emirate, Tai district, Kaltanga Mamuda ward. It has nothing to do with Bauchi State or Alkaleri Local Government.

“If putting the records straight is what is seen as a crisis, so be it. The National Boundary Commission, the NNPC are hypocrites in this matter, they know the truth and they should come out clean.”

According to Gara-Gombe, the solution is to give Gombe what belongs to it, adding, “Kolmani One is in Bauchi State in Alkeleri, let them go and explore that one. Four oil wells are in Gombe.’’

Non-Oil Exporters Repatriated $4.99 Billion In 2022 – Emefiele

He noted, ‘’Again, we need an independent jury to determine and verify our claims. Our people whose land was dubiously taken in the name of access road and were paid between N64,000 to N117,000 as compensation by the NNPC must be paid appropriately.

“NNPC must go to Gombe side and also construct a road like they did on the Bauchi side. Besides, Pindiga (Gombe) to Kolmani is shorter and friendly terrain than the Bauchi (side) which is longer and an unfriendly terrain.’’

A lawyer, Abdullahi Inuwa, echoed the governor’s aide by blaming a former Group Managing Director of the NNPC who died recently for awarding the land to Bauchi State.

The late NNPC GMD was reportedly a Misau, Bauchi State native.

Inuwa indicated that their beef was with the NNPC, not the Federal Government, and that the president was misinformed about the genuine owners of the land.

Oil-Producing States Borrow N1.3tn Amidst N6.4tn Windfall

He stated, “The true position is we did not accuse the Federal Government directly but our accusation points at the NNPC, not the Federal Government per say. We are accusing the NNPC, since the late GMD’s time, of manipulation; for trying to create a smokescreen by portraying the fact that Kolmani is in Bauchi, while Kolmani is in Gombe.

“There is a village head of Kolmani, who is answerable to the district head, who is also answerable to the Pindiga emirate under the Akko Local Government. Our position is that Kolmani is in Gombe, not in Bauchi.

‘’The Federal Government or the President has been misled by the NNPC especially the highest ranking officers of the NNPC that are of Bauchi State origin,” Inuwa further alleged.

He declined to speak further on how the late NNPC GMD allegedly caused the brewing feud, but simply claimed that the NNPC had shown preference for Bauchi State.

He said, “If you go to Misau, you will see so many developments made by the NNPC in Misau, where the late GMD came from. On the issue of boreholes constructed by the NNPC in the area, there are more boreholes on the side of Bauchi and less on the side of Gombe.

“Also, that area in Bauchi where oil is alleged to have been discovered from the borders, all the fenced block is on the side of Gombe, there is no area on the side of Bauchi surrounded by walls where oil is to be drilled.

Growing Population Can’t Be Sustained By Oil – Obasanjo

‘’And not only that, if you are to go to Barambu during the late NNPC GMD’s administration, I was informed about a store constructed by the NNPC in Barambu, which is part of Bauchi and I was told there is a laboratory there.

“If they had treated us fairly whether Kolmani is in Bauchi or Gombe, we would just remain mute, we would not say anything. As time goes on, the way and manner they are treating us as if we don’t know what we are doing is what provoked us to come out and voice out our grievances and also tell the world that this is our position; that we are not ready to relinquish Kolmani which is in the process of annexation from the side of Bauchi through the NNPC.”

Inuwa gave the assurance that the contention would not degenerate into violence, noting that they were ready for dialogue.

He said, “We have heard about the challenges in the Niger Delta but sadly in this case it is the government through the NNPC’s selfish interest that is trying to create problems and disharmony.

2023: I Will Name, Shame Oil Thieves If Elected – Atiku 

‘’Some of us have parents who hailed from the other side, Bauchi side; we go to their market, they come to our market. We inter-marry, we are one. NNPC’s senior officers should remember the oath of allegiance; they are first from Nigeria before considering themselves as indigenes of Bauchi.’’

Speaking further, he stated, “I don’t think it will escalate to the Niger Delta extent. From the outset, if someone like the late NNPC GMD had engaged both communities from both sides of the boundary, it wouldn’t have escalated. Our doors are not closed for dialogue, I believe our leaders will resolve it amicably.’’

Salisu Mohammed, a resident of Pindiga, Gombe State, said they would not allow themselves to be relocated to Bauchi, adding that the discovery of oil should not be used to justify abandoning one’s origin.

He said, “We are casting our votes with respect to the state Assembly of Gombe and not Bauchi House of Assembly. We are not ready to be snatched because of oil to a different state.”

The Bauchi State Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Ningi, told Newsmen on the phone that the state administration would consult widely before making its opinion on the topic public.

He said, “Although the governor has been invited to speak on the matter on a television programme, he did not go because he realised that the matter is taking a different dimension.

“He wants to have wider consultations after which the Bauchi State government’s position on the matter will be made public. His Excellency said you’ll need to give us some time to articulate our position before going to press later on.”

Finally, Oil Discovered In North East, NNPC Announce

In response to Gombe’s claims about the oil field, Muhammad Bako, the member for Pali Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, where the area is located, emphasized that it belonged to Bauchi.

He added, “This issue is not an issue for the youths because when you bring in the youths, the issue has become a child’s play. They are being sponsored by people and they don’t know exactly where the boundary is.

“The chairman of the National Boundary Commission hails from Gombe State, but when the issue of verifying the boundary came up, he went and saw it (the boundary); they were thinking the boundary was in Gombe.

“But when they saw it, they left and never returned because they saw the truth that the oil was in Bauchi and not in Gombe. And you know when people want to cause problems or crisis, they use the youths but I am calling on them not to cause trouble that will consume them. They are being sponsored by people who don’t know anything about this oil.”

Going down memory lane, the lawmaker said that the oil was first discovered when Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was a minister.

Bako argued, “This oil was first discovered when Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the minister of works; that was when the history of this oil started. Then, during the regime of the late General Sani Abacha, he started drilling the oil at Barumbu and then he died.

North-East Oil Drilling: We Will Avoid Mistakes Made In Niger Delta – Gov Yahaya

“When Olusegun Obasanjo came in, he allegedly sent (messages) and the oil well was reportedly blocked, and the issue was no longer talked about. So, when Buhari came, he started the drilling again.’’

“The one (oil well) in Barumbu was just flushed. And then, two new ones were drilled. The one that was flushed in Barumbu and the two new ones are not in Gombe. The boundary between Bauchi and Gombe and these oil wells is up to 20 kilometers,” he stated.

To buttress his argument that the area belongs to Bauchi, the lawmaker said all the communities in the jurisdiction were paying taxes to the state government.

He added, “There are traditional rulers in Bauchi and Gombe states. Those communities where the oil has been found, all their traditional leaders pay their taxes to the Bauchi State government. The traditional rulers in Gombe have been paying their taxes to Gombe over the past 100 years.

“So, if a traditional ruler dies in any of those communities, would a new one be installed by Gombe State? He will be installed by Bauchi State government, and not Gombe. And because of that, they have no excuse.”

The congressman pleaded for peace, warning residents not to incite militancy in the wake of the oil find.

In response to Bako’s assertions, Gombe governor’s media adviser, Gara-Gombe, simply replied, “Does that mean that the chairman of the National Boundary Commission, who is from there, who is their son, has deserted his home state and is now supporting Bauchi?” Do they adore Gombe more than he adores himself? You must request an answer from him.”

In response to the controversy, Mr Emmanuel Bulus, Deputy Director of the National Boundary Commission, stated that the agency was unaware of the dispute over the oil field.

Nigeria’s Survival Dependent On Non-Oil Industry – NEPC

When asked if the NBC would address the squabble, he said only the commission’s director-general, Adamu Adaji, could remark on the topic, adding that he was currently out of Abuja.

Garba-Deen Muhammad, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, stated that at this time, the focus should be on oil production from the wells.

“Let us worry more about oil supply for now. This one (ownership tussle) can wait,” he stated.

Follow us on Facebook