President Tinubu is currently holding a closed-door meeting with a delegation of Ogoni leaders, led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
This meeting follows a recent demand from a coalition of civil society organizations, which called for the allocation of $1 trillion from the Federal Government for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensation for lost livelihoods before oil production resumes in Ogoniland.
The demand was outlined in a statement signed by organizations such as Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
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The groups expressed concerns over the Nigerian government’s plans to resume oil production in Ogoniland, calling it a disregard for environmental justice and the rights of the Ogoni people.
They also criticized the invitation by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for select Ogoni stakeholders to attend a closed-door meeting in Abuja, which is scheduled for today.
The statement referenced the historical environmental degradation in Ogoniland, as documented in the 2011 UNEP report, which highlighted severe pollution of land, water, and air due to oil activities. The coalition expressed disappointment that the government has not fully implemented the UNEP recommendations or prioritized cleaning up the region.
In light of this, the coalition demanded that the government halt any plans to resume oil production until the Ogoni people are meaningfully consulted and their environment is 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.
Additional demands included the immediate and transparent implementation of the UNEP report, accountability from oil companies—particularly Shell—for environmental damages and human rights violations, the recognition of Ken Saro-Wiwa as an environmental hero, and a transition to renewable energy to reduce environmental harm. The groups also emphasized the need to end military intimidation in the Niger Delta and ensure that all decisions regarding Ogoniland respect the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
The coalition warned that resuming oil production without addressing past injustices would deepen mistrust between the government, oil companies, and local communities, describing the government’s current approach as an affront to the human rights of the Ogoni people and a threat to sustainable development. They also called for solidarity with the Ogoni people in their fight for justice and environmental restoration.
Also present at the meeting are Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, along with other ministers and aides.
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