UNIMAID: We’re sending freed lecturers back to Chad basin

The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) says the lecturers who recently regained freedom from the captivity of Boko Haram will return to oil exploration activities in the Chad basin.

The lecturers are Solomon Yusuf, Yusuf Ibrahim and Haruna Dashe.

They were abducted in July while carrying out a research commissioned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

In a statement, Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC spokesman, said the university pledged its readiness when a UNIMAID delegation visited Maikanti Baru, group managing director (GMD) of NNPC, on Friday.

Ibrahim Njodi, vice-chancellor (VC) of the university, said the freed lecturers and the entire university community were ready to re-mobilise for oil exploration in the Chad basin.

“Despite the harrowing experience of the adoptees in the captivity of the insurgents, UNIMAID is focused on carrying through the exploration programme in the inland sedimentary basins,” he was quoted to have said.

The VC said he regretted to announce the demise of one of the victims of the attack, Muhammed Kolo, who died from gunshot wounds.

He expressed gratitude to the NNPC, adding that the university community would not forget the support the corporation extended to the families of the victims at their hour of need.

Baru called for a minute silence in honour of Kolo.

“NNPC is ready to mobilise to the Chad basin for further exploration activities and the corporation would work rigorously with the university and all relevant security agencies to fortify the environment for smooth exploration activities,” he said.

“It would be a great mark of honour to the departed for the corporation and the university to resume exploration work in the basin.”