Nigeria, Oct. 29 -- Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has opposed plans by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to move oil exploration equipment out of the state, insisting Maiduguri is safer than Abuja and that there is no justification for relocating assets dedicated to the Chad Basin project.

Speaking in Maiduguri during a courtesy visit by the Chairman of the NNPCL Board, Ahmadu Musa Kida, Governor Zulum criticised the state oil firm's recent operational moves, saying equipment was being quietly moved under the guise of security concerns and maintenance.

Addressing the delegation led by Mr Kida, Mr Zulum expressed concern over unannounced attempts to move critical exploration hardware out of active locations in...