Chad oil exploration fanning Boko Haram insurgency – Iyorchia Ayu

© Boko Haram/AFP/File

Former President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has examined the current spate of insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, postulating that vested interests in the crude oil exploration in the Chad Basin is oiling the machinery of Boko Haram and its attacks on the country.

Delivering the 5th Convocation lecture of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko on Wednesday, Dr. Ayu, speaking on the topic, The Break Up of Nigeria, Myths, Realities and Implications, argued that Boko Haram is not a religious sect per se, because it has no clear or coherent message.

“They (Boko Haram) indiscriminately attack Christians, ‘Western Institutions’ such as schools, and Muslims alike.

“It is made up of Nigerians and a large number of Chadians from the Chadian provinces of Lac and Hadjer Lamis.

“These two Chadian states share a long border with North-Eastern Nigeria around the Lake Chad region, and provide Boko Haram with trained Chadian fighters.”

Ayu believes that the oil wealth beneath the Chad Basin in which some Nigerians and Chadians have made investments is fanning the embers of insurgency in the country.

“First, and most important, is that the Lake Chad Basin is estimated to have a reserve of 2.32billion barrels of oil, and 14.65trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The oil and gas flows underground across the countries sharing the Lake Chad Basin, Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroun.

“Using 3D drilling, it is believed that Chad is not only tapping oil within its territory, but also from Nigeira to push up its production levels.

“The Boko Haram insurgency delays exploration and production on the Nigerian side of Lake Chad to the benefit of Chad and a few other stakeholders.

“Reportedly, prominent businessmen and politicians in both Nigeria and Chad, in association with French companies, have invested heavily in the Chadian oil industry, and as a result, benefit from Boko Haram’s destabilisation of the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

“It is widely believed that it is they who are the principal financiers and arm suppliers to Boko Haram,” Ayu argued.

The former Minister of Education, Internal Affairs and Youth Development at different times, also noted that the drying up of the lake once the largest water body in Africa was affecting the economic and social life of over 30 million people in the four countries around the lake.

He said the development had resulted in the migration of many farmers and herdsmen as well as sprouting local conflicts between Camerounian and Nigerian nationals and between occupational groups fishermen fighting farmers and herdsmen to stop diverting water from the lake to their farms and livestock.

“Related to the insurgency, the disappearance of the lake and related rivers and the dislocation of the ecology and economic life of the region has created a large population of unemployed and discontented youth.

“They have become a reserve army easily available for recruitment by the insurgents. Curious enough, the President of Chad, Idris Debby, is said to have close, cordial relations with the insurgents. So far, Boko Haram has not attacked any territory in Chad. Rather, they have cluster of bases in Chad, which serve as rear for their terrorists activities in Nigeria,” Ayu said.