FG Takes Steps To Resume Oil Exploration In Ogoniland.

Ogoniland.

The Federal Government moved closer to restarting oil exploration in Ogoniland on Wednesday after President Bola Tinubu received the report from the Ogoni Dialogue Committee at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja.

At the event held on Wednesday, the President instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to begin dialogue involving Ogoni communities, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and other relevant stakeholders to finalise plans for the resumption of oil activities.

He further directed the Minister of Environment to incorporate pollution remediation into the ongoing engagements with the local people.

During the occasion, the President also conferred national honours of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on the murdered Ogoni Four, whose deaths triggered the trial of Dr Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other leaders of the ethnic group during the regime of the late General Sani Abacha. He also directed the National Security Adviser to see to the conclusion of peace efforts in the region.

Those posthumously awarded by President Tinubu included the late Ogoni leaders Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage—collectively known as the ‘Ogoni Four.’

It should be noted that the President had previously conferred posthumous national honours on the well-known Ogoni Nine, among whom was Saro-Wiwa.

President Tinubu expressed that the report presented by the Ogoni Consultations Committee should mark the beginning of lasting peace in the region.

It is worth remembering that the unrest in Ogoniland, Rivers State, began in 1994 following internal conflict, which culminated in the killing of the Ogoni Four by angry youths.

They were reportedly holding a meeting in Giokoo community, located in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, when they were seized and murdered by the mob.

Following this, General Abacha established a military tribunal which tried Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight other Ogoni leaders.

The tribunal found them guilty, and they were executed without delay—a development that drew widespread international condemnation and led to Nigeria's diplomatic isolation.

While speaking on Wednesday, President Tinubu urged the people of Ogoniland to embrace reconciliation and unity after years of division.

He expressed hope that the memories of the ‘Ogoni Four’ would continue to inspire unity, bravery, and a sense of purpose in Nigeria.

He said, “I urge the Ogoni people across classes, communities, and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community with one voice.”

The President also instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to take steps towards establishing lasting peace in the Niger Delta region.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to peace, environmental clean-up, and economic revitalisation in Ogoniland, confirming plans to resume oil production in the area.

He declared, “I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production. The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity.”

President Tinubu recalled that in 2022, the previous administration handed over the operatorship of the Ogoni oil field to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its partners. He affirmed that his government would build upon that decision.

Also present at the event was the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara.

Earlier, Nuhu Ribadu reported that consultations included all four Ogoni zones and the diaspora. He said the discussions captured key demands, such as structured involvement in oil production, fast-tracked environmental clean-up, and long-term development.

Professor Don Baridam, who chairs the Dialogue Committee, noted that the report represents the unified voice of the Ogoni people and should serve as a framework for execution via an inter-agency task force.

When asked questions following the event, Ribadu reaffirmed President Tinubu’s dedication to ensuring peace, stability, and inclusive growth in the Niger Delta.

He stated that the government would thoroughly implement all instructions aimed at maintaining peace and addressing past wrongs.

Ribadu assured, “Peace is being restored already, and Nigerians will soon see the benefits, not just in Ogoniland, but across the Niger Delta and beyond.”

Oil exploration in Ogoniland has remained suspended since 1993 due to protests over environmental pollution, which eventually led to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists in 1995.