The Senator representing Kaduna Central in the Senate, Senator Shehu Sani, has said that the move by northern leaders to exploit oil in the region without success over the years is a fantasy.

He stated this yesterday when members of Kaduna State Students Union paid him a courtesy call in his Kaduna office.

Shehu Sani who is chairman Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, as well as Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs stated that the move by northern leaders to exploit oil in the region without success over the years is a mirage

He said so far over 3 billion US Dollars had had been wasted on what he called white elephant project without any hope of getting the oil.

To this end, Senator Sani called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a committee to investigate oil exploration in the north, adding that Buhari should not limit probe to Goodluck Jonathan administration, but extend it to past governments for them to explain the wealth they amassed which they cannot justify.

It would be recalled that Northern Nigeria Development Company, (NNDC), said it would commence the exploration of oil and gas in the north-eastern part of the country by the first quarter of this year.

The Chairman of the company, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at NNDC’s 47th Annual General Meeting late last year in Kaduna.

Dalhatu stated that NNDC was currently collaborating with its technical partners and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, on the expertise and budgetary requirements for the flag off of the oil exploration project.

But Senator Sani maintained, “If we cannot get oil, we must get our money back because so far over 3 billion US Dollars had been wasted on oil exploration in the north, particularly in the Chad Basin and Benue trough.

“This oil exploration issue started from late General Sani Abacha regime, and many years after his death, no oil was found in the region.

“I blame our northern leaders who in collaboration with their southern counterparts improvised the north.”

The first timer Senator called on the students to use their youthful energy to question government in power in order to safeguard their future from injustice.

Earlier, the leader of the students union, Saadu Bako appealed to Senator Sani to assist the students both socially and economically to enable them remain focused and achieve better education at the end of their studies, even as he prayed to God to uplift the Senator to a higher political level. (Peoples Daily)

•Photo shows Senator Shehu Sani.

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