An emergency gives off an impression of being preparing over the responsibility for Kolmani Oil and Gas field as both Bauchi and Gombe States have begun laying cases to the oil wells.
The two states’ officials and residents have also accused one another of trying to take over the site, which is said to have 500 billion standard cubic feet of gas and one billion barrels of crude oil reserves.
The occurrence occurs just two weeks after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.),inaugurated by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited and its joint venture partners, oil exploration at the Kolmani oil field.
Oil Prospecting Licences 809 and 810, which span Kolmani One, Two, Three, Four, and Five in North-East Nigeria, reportedly contain commercial quantities of oil.
During the event, Buhari revealed that the project has received over $3 billion in investments.
“We are pleased with the current discovery of over 1 billion barrels of oil reserves and 500 billion Cubic Feet of Gas within the Kolmani area and the huge potential for additional deposits as we intensify our exploration efforts,” the president stated.
He went on to say, “It is therefore to the credit of this administration that at a time when there is almost no appetite for investment in fossil energy, coupled with the challenges of the location, we are able to attract investment of over $3 billion to this project.”
Buhari mentioned the assurances made by the governors of Bauchi and Gombe states about their unwavering commitment and willingness to ensure local support and cooperation.
However, as the two states declared that they were the legitimate owners of the oil-rich field, it appeared as though the governors’ assurances had been forgotten.
Alhaji Ahmed Gara-Gombe, Special Adviser to Gombe State Governor on Information Management and Strategy, blamed the boundary commission for the controversy while insisting that Gombe owns the contentious Kolmani field.
He stated, “The truth is that the oil well at Kolmani is in Gombe State;Kaltanga Mamuda ward, Akko Local Government, Pindiga Emirate, Tai District,It has nothing to do with Alkaleri Local Government or Bauchi State.
“If correcting the records is perceived as a crisis, then so be it.In this case, the National Boundary Commission and the NNPC are hypocrites; they are aware of the truth and ought to disclose it.
“Kolmani One is in Bauchi State in Alkeleri, let them go and explore that one,” Gara-Gombe says, adding that the solution is to give Gombe what belongs to it.Gombe is home to four oil wells.”
Once more, he noted, ”we really want a free jury to decide and confirm our cases.Our people, whose land was dubious taken for the sake of an access road and for which the NNPC paid them between N64,000 and N117,000 in compensation, should be compensated in a fair manner.
The NNPC must construct a road on the Gombe side as well, as they did on the Bauchi side.Additionally, Pindiga (Gombe) to Kolmani is a shorter and more pleasant route than Bauchi (side), which is longer and more difficult.