President Bola Tinubu has commended the people of Ogoni for their cooperation and commitment to peace, describing the area as a major turning point in Nigeria’s journey towards stability, development and national renewal.
The President also applauded the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for his responsible leadership, describing the state as one of the most peaceful states in the country.
The commendation was delivered on behalf of the President by a high-powered federal delegation comprising senior military commanders and top government officials led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who were in Rivers State yesterday to assess progress of work in Ogoni, possibly for resumption of oil exploration.
The Federal Government’s commendations to the people of Ogoni are connected with plans to resume oil exploration in the area, amid Nigeria’s proposed daily crude oil production benchmark of 1.84 million barrels for the 2026 fiscal year.
Recall that the Federal Government, in 2024, constituted the Ogoni Dialogue Committee to engage stakeholders on the possible resumption of oil activities in Ogoni, which had been suspended for decades due to environmental degradation and civil unrest. The committee submitted its report to President Bola Tinubu in September 2025 after a series of town hall meetings.
However, Ogoni groups and civil society organisations, including Amnesty International (AI), have continued to oppose any resumption of oil exploration, insisting that comprehensive environmental remediation and historical justice must precede any such move.
Renowned environmental activist, Celestine Akpobari, renewed calls for justice over the killing of thousands of Ogoni people, stressing that lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing historical grievances, political marginalisation and environmental degradation.
Akpobari alleged that over 2,000 Ogoni people were killed during the crisis, noting that the families of the victims are still seeking justice.
“Those who died in Ogoni were human beings, not chickens. Their parents are still crying for justice, and the right thing must be done,” he said.
He described the ongoing Ogoni cleanup as critical but still at an early stage, noting that the process would take over 30 years to complete.
“The cleanup has just started. What is happening now is only a fraction of what needs to be done,” he added.
Akpobari, the executive director of Miideekor Environmental Development Initiative, also cautioned against attempts to exploit economic hardship to divide the people, while questioning recent security deployments around oil-producing areas in Ogoni.
Similarly, Sir Joe Korka-Waadah, a relative of late environmental rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who is also Executive Director of Compassionate Heart Foundation Canada, criticised the Federal Government’s plan to reroute the Calabar Coastal Road through Ogoniland, describing it as “cosmetic and diversionary.”
“The Ogoni people have clearly stated their demands, but the government has chosen to ignore them and adopt populist policies. It will not work,” he said.
Korka-Waadah reiterated that Ogoni demands remain unchanged, including the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, comprehensive environmental cleanup and full implementation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
Speaking further, Ribadu said that the President was pleased with the unity and collaboration among government institutions, security agencies and community leaders, particularly in Ogoniland, which he described as central to the peace currently enjoyed in Rivers State.
Credit: Guardian
