Ogoni sons and daughters have issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu, cautioning that renewed oil exploration in 17 communities in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State could trigger fresh crisis if unresolved grievances are ignored.
The warning came during a peaceful protest in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, where demonstrators carried placards reading “Free Ogoni Land from Economic Slavery,” “No to Oil Resumption,” and “NNPC, Bring Back Our $300 Million.”
Protesters rejected any return of oil activities without consultation, restitution, and accountability for past injustices.
Executive Director of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), Douglas Fabeke, outlined seven critical issues surrounding the planned resumption of oil operations.
“We expected that some of these issues we are raising here must have been addressed before now by the Federal Government,” Fabeke said.
He recalled that between 1993 and 1998, over 300 people were killed when communities were destroyed during earlier oil operations.
“We urge the Federal Government to halt oil resumption in these communities as the environment and people living in these areas are yet to be restored. Such operations pose significant health and safety risks,” he added.
Fabeke noted that many residents remain refugees in Benin Republic and Cameroon, while others in Nigeria are still homeless.
He accused Sahara Energy and other oil firms of returning to resume exploration without addressing past injustices.
Call for Federal Intervention
Fabeke revealed he had written directly to President Tinubu to confirm whether he was aware of ongoing operations.
“Many people have been killed and crisis has taken place. We don’t want any more crisis in Ogoniland. We are sending this message to Mr. President to stop activities in those communities and let’s go into negotiations to see how people living in those places can be restored,” he said.
The group urged the Federal Government to assume direct control of OML-II and initiate structured, result-driven engagement with host communities.
It cautioned against “political dialogue without outcomes,” stressing that Ogoni communities have yet to receive direct communication from Abuja.
The OLI rejected Sahara Energy’s presence in Ogoniland, declaring the company persona non grata and demanding an immediate halt to its activities.
Fabeke warned that failure to address unresolved issues would compel Ogoni people to escalate protests to Abuja.
He also demanded transparency over the alleged $300 million compensation fund earmarked for Ogoni development, claiming the money may have been misappropriated.
“I was part of the committee set up for this $300 million. I gave NNPCL the list of all Ogoni communities involved. But since the money was approved, neither I nor the organisation has been briefed. The communities have not been briefed about this money,” he said.
The OLI lamented that after decades of struggle for environmental justice, Ogoniland remains impoverished. Protesters insisted that any attempt to resume oil exploration without restitution and accountability would be resisted.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
