Kolmani oilfield: Host community faults FG election-season promises

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The Pali Development Association, an umbrella body representing the host community of the Kolmani oil field in Bauchi State, has urged the Federal Government to move beyond statements and verification visits and take concrete steps towards the immediate remobilisation of exploration activities at the site.

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The association cautioned the government against using the Kolmani oil exploration project as a political campaign tool ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The chairman of the association, Hashim Pali, made the call on Tuesday while reacting to the verification visit to the oil field by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

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Pali said the people of Bauchi State and the North-East would welcome any genuine commitment towards the resumption and completion of exploration activities at Kolmani, but stressed that the government must demonstrate its commitment through action.

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He said, “As a member of the host community, it is indeed a welcome development because we welcome any genuine commitment towards the resumption and completion of the oil exploration activities at Kolmani.

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“We consider it necessary to state clearly that the people of Bauchi State and the North-East will welcome any genuine commitment.

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“But we cannot continue to be treated as an electoral audience because we understand that it is an election period.

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“We look at it as a promise presently made because the election is approaching. We have had promises before.”

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According to him, President Bola Tinubu made commitments concerning the continuation of the Kolmani oil exploration project during his 2023 presidential campaign in Gombe State.

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Pali said the host community had expected the Tinubu administration to sustain the momentum of the project after assuming office, but lamented that exploration activities were eventually halted and equipment evacuated from the site.

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He said, “Our expectation and the expectation of the people of Bauchi State and the entire North-East was that upon the assumption of President Bola Tinubu into office, his administration would sustain the momentum and ensure that the project proceeded towards actual exploration and production.

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“But unfortunately, after the administration assumed office, rather than witnessing the expected continuation and acceleration of the development of the project, the Kolmani site stopped.

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“They evacuated all the equipment there. All the machines and equipment brought there for the work have been taken away. For more than three years in office, the people have watched and waited to see what will happen at the site.

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“Now, as the country approaches another election cycle, we are once again being told that the Federal Government is interested in remobilising the project. What happened to the last three years?

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“It is only now that the government is interested? No. We have to ask so many questions and continue to demand answers.”

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Pali questioned why the project was allowed to lose momentum after the President assumed office and why renewed assurances were being made as another electoral season approached.

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He said, “Why was the project allowed to lose momentum after the President’s administration came to office? We are very sure that all the votes he gathered from Bauchi and the North-East were as a result of these promises.

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“Why should the people of Bauchi and the North-East have to wait until another electoral season before hearing fresh assurances about a project that was already presented to them as a priority in 2023?

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“Now you want to still bring it as a priority in 2027. What did you take us for? We therefore wish to state unequivocally that this time the people must demand action rather than promises.”

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The association chairman said Kolmani should not be treated as an electoral slogan, describing it as a strategic economic project capable of generating employment, infrastructure, energy, revenue and broader economic development.

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Pali added, “Kolmani is not a campaign property. It is not an electoral slogan that will be repeated anytime when the election comes.

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“It is not a project to be remembered only when politicians require our votes. It is a strategic economic project with potential to contribute significantly to employing thousands or even millions of people, bringing about infrastructure, energy, security, governance, revenue and the economic development of not only Bauchi or Gombe State, but the entire country.

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“We therefore call on President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to move beyond statements and verification visits and demonstrate concrete commitment through immediate remobilisation, sustained funding and transparent timelines.”

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Also speaking on the development, the National Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Jamilu Charanci, urged the Federal Government to move beyond ceremonial verification and election-season rhetoric to actual exploration and production.

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Charanci said the people of the North-East deserved to see tangible economic benefits from the oil project.

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He said, “The renewed verification of the Kolmani oil field is welcome, but Nigerians, especially the people of the North-East, have every reason to demand proof, not promises.

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“This is not the first time Kolmani has been presented with political fanfare. Similar promises were made in 2022, shortly before the 2023 elections, yet the expected transformation never materialised.

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“Government must therefore move beyond ceremonial verification and election-season rhetoric to actual exploration, production, jobs, infrastructure and measurable economic benefits for the people.

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“The North-East cannot afford to have its natural resources repeatedly turned into campaign slogans. If this government is serious, let the rigs return, let exploration commence, and let the people see the benefits—not another political promise recycled for electoral purposes.”

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Our correspondent reports that the Chairman of RMAFC, Muhammad Bello, led a delegation on Monday on a verification visit to the Kolmani oil field in Bauchi State, where he pledged to facilitate the remobilisation of exploration activities at the site.

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Bello said the commission visited the site to assess the current state of the project and advocate for its continuation, describing it as important to Bauchi State, the North-East and the country.

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He said, “We want the momentum of the project that was started in 2023 to return. We want to come and verify for ourselves what is going on so that we can advocate for this project, this important project, to continue, so that the people of the North-East of Nigeria can further benefit.

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“We know for a fact that Mr President is very much concerned as far as this project is concerned. We know that he has assured the two governors that there will be mobilisation for the project to continue.”

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The RMAFC chairman said the commission would assess the project and report to relevant authorities to support efforts to revive exploration activities.

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He added, “We will go back after assessing what type of project this is and what is going on. We will continue to follow it because we operate by committees, and we will be looking at oil and gas.”

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In his remarks during the visit, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Natural Resources, Maiwada Bello, said exploration activities at the site stopped around July 2025.

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He described the project as important not only to the host community but to Nigeria as a whole.

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Maiwada said, “I can recall in the year 2024 we were here with your team to assess the progress, to assess how this project was ongoing then. And I can recall when we came here; actually, there were no activities.

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“I think you came around December 2024. Shortly after you left, between January 2025 and somewhere around June 2025, work resumed.

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“But around July 2025, we received news from the host community hosting this location that they called for new operations and that the company was demobilising.”

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The commissioner explained that he collaborated with the Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources in Gombe State to form a joint team that visited the site.

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According to him, the team met with the technical personnel of the company handling the project and engaged them on the development.

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He said they were informed that the demobilisation was based on a directive from a higher authority.

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Maiwada added that the development was reported to the governors of Bauchi and Gombe states, who subsequently engaged the President on the matter.

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He said, “I can recall His Excellency, our governor, collaborated with the North-East governors and met with His Excellency, the President of the country, and complained to him about this project.

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“I can also recall that Mr President promised that work would resume as fast as he could. But as I am talking to you, even though we are here today, since then we have never visited and never got any updates about the progress of this project again.”

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