Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State said yesterday that the state would soon make a presentation to the Federal Government on how to exploit the crude oil deposits discovered in commercial quantity in the state.
Wamakko spoke to journalists at the State House in Abuja in the course of the National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo. He declined to give details of the discovery, saying these would be made public as soon as the presentation was made to the Federal Government.
"After having made the discovery we are going to make formal presentation to the Federal Government to commence the process or allow us to continue.
"Once we make the formal presentation to the Federal Government and there is fund, then we will talk to you in details on what it is and how it is," he said.
On Tuesday, Wamakko first mentioned in Sokoto that there were abundant crude oil deposits in his state. He spoke when he received the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar on a Sallah visit.
The governor had said that the oil deposits, when fully explored and exploited, would boost the socio-economic status of the people of the state and the country's economy.
A source close to the Sokoto state government told Daily Trust last night that the government decided to explore the possibilities of having oil deposits after neighbouring Niger Republic struck oil two years ago.
The source said the Sokoto government invited the same company that did the initial oil search work for Niger Republic to do the same for Sokoto, and they were apparently the ones who found evidence of crude oil deposits there.
Daily Trust could not confirm the specific areas where the deposits may be in the state, but the areas neighbouring Niger Republic are Ilela, Gada, Binji, Tangaza, Silame, Goronyo and Sabon Birni.
Daily Trust