President Bola Tinubu has instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to initiate discussions with Ogoni communities, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and relevant stakeholders to finalize the resumption of oil operations. The directive was given during a meeting at the Presidential Villa, where the President received the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee.
The President emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue and reconciliation in achieving lasting peace, justice, and development in Ogoniland. He urged the Ogoni people to unite and move forward, putting past conflicts behind them. Tinubu’s administration has pledged support for peace, environmental cleanup, and economic revival in the region.
The government plans to build on the previous administration’s decision to hand over the operation of Ogoni oil fields to the NNPCL and its joint venture partners. The Minister of Environment has been directed to incorporate pollution remediation into ongoing dialogues with the Ogoni people. The President also posthumously honored four late Ogoni leaders with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) award.
According to Nuhu Ribadu, the consultations engaged all four Ogoni zones and the diaspora, focusing on structured participation, accelerated cleanup, and sustainable development. Ribadu reaffirmed the President’s commitment to peace, stability, and inclusive growth across the Niger Delta, assuring strict implementation of directives aimed at consolidating peace and addressing past injustices.
The Chairman of the Dialogue Committee, Prof. Don Baridam, described the report as reflecting the collective will of the Ogoni people and urged the formation of an inter-agency task force to implement the report’s recommendations. Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State noted that the confidence-building measures implemented by the President have led to improvements in various projects, including the East-West Road.
The suspension of oil exploration in Ogoniland in 1993, following protests over environmental damage, has had a lasting impact on the region. The execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists in 1995 further exacerbated tensions. The recent developments aim to address these historical grievances and pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future for the Ogoni people. With the President’s directive, the Nigerian government is taking steps towards restarting oil operations in the region, while prioritizing environmental cleanup and economic revival.
