President Bola Tinubu is currently holding a meeting with Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and leaders from Ogoniland at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The delegation accompanying Governor Fubara includes prominent figures such as Senator Lee Maeba, Senators Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Chief Victor Giadom, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, and others like Senators Bennett Birabi Barry, Mpigi, and Joe Poroma.
In attendance are also key officials such as Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), and Ministers of Environment Balarabe Abba, Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed, Regional Development Abubakar Momoh, and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
While the specific agenda of the meeting remains undisclosed, it is believed that discussions may focus on the ongoing Ogoni clean-up and the potential resumption of oil exploration in the region. This follows a call from a coalition of civil society organizations, including Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, CAPPA, and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), who have demanded that $1 trillion be allocated by the Federal Government for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensation for the loss of livelihoods before any resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
The group has voiced concerns about the government’s reported plans to restart oil production in Ogoniland, describing such moves as a disregard for environmental justice. Their statement highlighted the extensive environmental damage caused by oil operations in the region, referencing the 2011 UNEP report that documented severe pollution of land, water, and air in Ogoniland.
The groups expressed frustration over the lack of full implementation of UNEP’s recommendations and the government’s failure to prioritize the region’s environmental restoration. Further details on the meeting will be provided later.
