President Bola Tinubu, alongside Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, is hosting a closed-door meeting with a delegation of Ogoni leaders led by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The meeting follows demands from a coalition of civil society organizations urging the Federal Government to allocate $1 trillion for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensation for lost livelihoods before resuming crude oil production in Ogoniland.
In a joint statement, groups including Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) expressed strong opposition to the government’s reported plans to restart oil activities in Ogoniland. The coalition emphasized the environmental devastation caused by decades of oil extraction, referencing the 2011 UNEP report that documented severe pollution of Ogoniland’s land, water, and air. They criticized the government’s failure to fully implement UNEP’s cleanup recommendations or prioritize environmental restoration.
The organizations made several demands, including suspending oil production plans until meaningful consultations with the Ogoni people are held and environmental remediation is completed. They called for the exoneration of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni leaders executed in 1995, alongside the return of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Bus sculpture. They also pressed for immediate and transparent execution of cleanup measures, accountability for oil companies like Shell, a transition to renewable energy, and an end to military intimidation in the Niger Delta. Decisions regarding Ogoniland, they emphasized, must respect the principle of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC).
The coalition described the government’s approach as a disregard for the Ogoni people’s fundamental rights and warned that resuming oil production without addressing past injustices would deepen mistrust among the government, oil companies, and local communities.
Present at the meeting are key government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Mele Kyari, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and other ministers and aides. The discussions aim to address concerns and explore solutions for justice, environmental restoration, and sustainable development in Ogoniland.
