Geologists, insurgency and way forward

Th e recent abduction and murder of some geologists and engineers of the University of Maiduguri have again highlighted the perils facing professionals who work quietly in the background but whose occupational outcome is part of what is responsible for the prosperity of our nation. On July 25, 2017 the NNPC/ University of Maiduguri Exploration team and a detachment of Nigerian Army and Civilian JTFs were attacked by some insurgents, while in the line of duty. Th e unfortunate incidence sent shock waves around the university community and indeed the whole country. Th e incidence consequently put a set back on the exploration activities taking place in the Chad Basin. Th e University of Maiduguri lost about fi ve professionals.

Th e department of geology alone lost two lecturers, whilst four others were abducted. Unfortunately, the military had falsely claimed that it rescued all the geologists working for NNPC. Following the initial report released by the military authorities, people were relieved that the military was on top of the situation. However, subsequent events indicated, to the chagrin of the general public, that in actual fact, lives were lost and some personnel of the University of Maiduguri where abducted by the insurgents. Th e insurgents released a video showing three of the lecturers begging the federal government and the general public to key into their rescue operations. Meanwhile, on August 30, 2017, Brigadier-General S.K. Usman, director, Army Public Relations released a statement explaining that, “Th e error in the statement was not deliberate. Th e Nigerian Army in this present dispensation is reputed for timely dissemination of information on activities of our troops in all theatre of operations. We have strived to keep the public informed on our activities with no intention of distorting any fact.” Some of the deeper fallouts of these developments cannot be easily quantifi able but, certainly, we can at least talk about the loss to the families of Dr. Militus Joseph Vahbakke and Mr. Manaja M. Uba, who I knew personally during my undergraduate studies, and the uncertainty surrounding the continued abduction of Dr. Solomon M. Yusuf and Haruna Dashe. Th e uncertainty over Mohammed Alhaji Kolo’s whereabouts – as he was not seen in the video – puts his family and friends in a state of continuous anxiety. Hopefully, some reasonable outcomes will emerge from the negotiation, which has already begun, between the insurgents and the federal authorities. Yet, another disturbing development threatening the sustainable educational advancement of the North-east, a region already battered by the activities of the insurgents, is the statement credited to chairman of ASUU UniMaid chapter, that no fewer than 70 lecturers have resigned in the wake of this insurgency. According to Dr. Mamman, “About 70 lecturers left, about 5 died and 3 are held hostage by the Boko Haram. Th e admission fi gures have been dropping since insurgency started in 2012. We don’t know what will happen to the admission of students this year.” Dr. Mamman’s chilling information draws particular attention to that unsung community of professionals who engage the under bowels of our sub-surface to bring forth the gems and rewards of extraction, through which our national growth and development is fi nanced. I am talking here of geologists, engineers and all scientists connected to the extractive enterprise. It is important to expect that in so far as insurgency endures in the North-east, tragic incidences like this would become the norm. Th is should tell our leaders that what the country is fi ghting is probably only using religion as a camoufl age to mask its major interests in our oil and gas resources. Th e truth is that, as a recent commentator argues, “What France has not given up … is the obsession for the energy possibility in the Sahel and Sahara.” Th ese point starkly to the transition of interests from religion to hydrocarbon in the strategy of Boko Haram, and the case for strong international backing in their campaign, evident in the recent creation of the G5 Sahel Force under the leadership of France. Prior to this Maiduguri tragedy, there had been cases of politically motivated killings of oil and gas professionals in the Niger Delta. Yet this new dimension has brought back concerns on how we should think about the safety and security of our geologists and engineers. After all, this is not a typical accident, and the safety concerns of members of this community had heightened over the past years. Th e new pattern of threats poses yet another serious danger to individual geoscientists, as well as the economic prosperity of the nation. It is, therefore, very unfortunate that the few geoscientists and mining engineers we have, are being abducted or killed by insurgents. Th e activities of kidnappers and other criminals are posing great dangers to the government’s new drive to repositioning the mining sector to attract the much desired foreign direct investments. In other professions, such as in the health sector, medical professionals are covered by some forms of insurance policies and allowances. Th ese are not the case with geoscientists under the payroll of government in Nigeria. Th e protection of these professionals against the perils inherent in their jobs is not just there and that is unfair, considering their contributions to national development. Nigeria must borrow a leaf from known mining destinations such as Australia or South Africa to formulate policies and strategies to protect key professionals, who out of frustration often leave the country to seek greener pastures and better working conditions in other climes. Th e exodus of these professionals, as we are witnessing in the mineral and health sectors, is not healthy for our development as a country. For this reason, new visions of responses deserve to be considered. In this regard, and since this comes right within the ambit of a national security concern, my humble proposal is that the geoscientists whose nature of work makes them vulnerable, in the face of the new political environment, to terrorism, insurgency, organised crimes and violent mass killings, should come under the cover of a combination of generous insurance policies to defray the risks they are faced with. Th is is in addition to being attached to a special security force to accompany them when they embark on this kind of mission in the future. In the meantime, one hopes that the presidency, the NNPC, University of Maiduguri, NMGS, COMEG and indeed all Nigerians are thinking of how quickly the abducted geoscientist should be brought home to their respective families. Maikore, a geologist, writes from Abuja

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