- Halt Oil Extraction in Ogoniland
- Ogoni Environmental Restoration Demanded
- CSOs Advocate for Niger Delta Justice
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have urged the federal government to delay plans to resume oil extraction in Ogoniland, highlighting concerns over environmental degradation, social injustice, and insufficient community engagement.
The call came after a meeting in Port Harcourt, where groups like Environmental Rights Action, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and Ogoni Solidarity Forum denounced a private Abuja meeting between select Ogoni leaders and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The CSOs criticized this as undermining the collective will of the Ogoni people, whose land and resources have suffered from decades of oil exploitation.
“Ogoniland remains heavily polluted with oil spills, gas flaring, and inadequate remediation efforts,” the groups said, referencing the 2011 UNEP report that revealed severe environmental and health impacts. Despite its recommendations, cleanup progress remains slow, with accusations of neglect against the government and oil companies.
The CSOs demanded:
- A $1 trillion fund for cleanup and compensation.
- Full implementation of UNEP recommendations and increased HYPREP funding.
- Accountability for oil companies like Shell.
- A shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy solutions.
They also called for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, executed in 1995 for his environmental activism, and his recognition as a national hero.
The coalition emphasized that resuming oil extraction without addressing existing environmental crises violates Ogoni rights and undermines sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
