The President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is currently locked in a closed-door meeting with Governor Sim Fubara of State of Rivers State and the leaders of Ogoniland at the presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to Vanguard, the governor arrived with a delegation that comprised Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe and Olaka Nwogu, Chief Victor Giadom, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Ledom Mitee, as well as Senators Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi and Joe Poroma.
Also present are the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abba; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Although the agenda of the meeting was not made public, it may not be unconnected to the Ogoni clean-up and the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
It would be recalled that a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) had demanded an allocation of $1 trillion from the Federal Government for the clean-up of the Niger Delta and compensation for the loss of livelihoods, before the resumption of crude oil production in Ogoniland.
The demands were tabled in a statement signed by the organisations, including Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), while expressing concerns over the Nigerian government’s reported plans to resume oil production in the community.
The organisations, therefore demanded a halt to any plans to resume oil activities until the Ogoni people are meaningfully consulted and their environment fully remediated.
They also called for justice for environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni leaders executed in 1995, urging the Nigerian government to exonerate them and return the confiscated Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Bus sculpture.
Other demands include the immediate and transparent implementation of the UNEP report, accountability from oil companies, particularly Shell, for environmental damages and human rights violations, recognition of Ken Saro-Wiwa as an environmental hero, and transitioning to renewable energy to mitigate environmental harm.
The groups also emphasised the need to end military intimidation in the Niger Delta and ensure that all decisions involving Ogoniland respect the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
The statement described the government’s current approach as an affront to the fundamental human rights of the Ogoni people and a threat to sustainable development. They warned that resuming oil production without addressing past injustices would only deepen mistrust between the government, oil companies, and local communities.
The coalition also called for solidarity with the Ogoni people in their fight for justice and environmental restoration.
The statement highlighted the historical environmental degradation caused by oil activities in Ogoniland, documented in the 2011 UNEP report, which revealed widespread pollution of land, water, and air.
The group expressed disappointment that the government has yet to fully implement the UNEP recommendations or prioritize the clean-up of the region.
