The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has said that the Federal government will soon begin oil exploration in the northeast.

Sylva disclosed this during an interview with Channels TV on Monday February 8.

“I have said it a few times that we have found oil in the northeast and we have started drilling activities in the Lake Chad Basin. I don’t know how the discovery of oil in the area will impact all the issues there but on our side, we believe that in a very short time, we will start production.” he said

Sylva also reacted to the piracy, oil bunkering and illegal refining in the oil-producing region, saying such activities had reduced when compared to what was obtained in the past.

“Pipeline vandalisation is less than it used to be. Before now, we had less than 50 per cent production, I can assure you that pipeline vandalisation is less than it used to be. If you compare what happens now with what obtains in the past, I think it is less now.

“There is still a lot of piracy I understand, but the law enforcement agencies are dealing with it. We are looking at other ways of dealing with it and believe that in a very short time, we will be able to get the full handle on it,” he added.