In the absence of more extensive community consultation and redress for historical injustices, a coalition of Niger Delta civil society organizations has denounced the Nigerian government’s intention to recommence oil exploitation in Ogoniland as unacceptable.
At a meeting on Tuesday at the Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Environmental Rights Action offices in Port Harcourt, the organizations denounced the government’s strategy of interacting with a small number of Ogoni leaders while excluding the larger population.
Resuming oil production without resolving Ogoniland’s long-standing environmental, social, and economic problems is incredibly unfair, the coalition stressed.
They cited the 2011 UNEP Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland, which revealed widespread air, water, and land contamination brought on by decades of unregulated oil exploitation.
A number of demands were made by the coalition, which included Environmental Rights Action, HOMEF, CAPPA, Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Kebetkache Women Development Centre, CISLAC, and other organizations: Shell be held responsible for environmental degradation and human rights violations in the area; a review of the military trial and execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists; their exoneration; and the return of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Bus sculpture seized.
In order to restore oil production in Ogoniland, an oil-rich region in the Niger Delta, President Bola Tinubu assigned National Security Advisor, or NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, the responsibility of spearheading negotiations with important stakeholders on Tuesday.
In Abuja, the President gave the order while meeting with Ogoni leaders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in the Aso Villa.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, was also in attendance at the meeting.
Tinubu made it clear that his administration would prioritize regional peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Calling on the Ogoni people to set aside their previous grudges and work together for peace, progress, and a cleaner environment, he advocated unity and reconciliation.
In a statement, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga quoted Tinubu as saying, “We can correct some anomalies of the past going forward, but we cannot in any way rewrite history.” If we keep becoming furious, we will never be able to repair the wounds.
“We need to have mutual trust in order to collaborate. Return home, consult more people, and show others love.
“By bringing peace, progress, and a clean environment back to Ogoniland, we must make this trip worthwhile.”
He called on the Rivers State Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and NNPCL to collaborate with the Office of the National Security Adviser in order to carry out this mandate.
