News

Delta, Edo Oil Producing Communities Demand Climate Justice, Halt To Exploration

Published

2 years ago

September 30, 2023

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

People from oil producing communities in Edo and Delta states Friday, September 29, 2023 converged in Benin under the umbrella – People’s Assembly – to demand for environmental justice in their communities.

INFO DAILY reports that the meeting known as African Peoples Counter COP was organised by Ecological Actions Advocacy Foundation with support from African Climate Collective.

INFO DAILY also reports that four oil and gas producing communities from Edo and one from Delta State attended the climate justice meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, one of the guest speakers and environmental activist, Comrade Cadmus Atake Enade, said over the years climate change has been in centre stage of discussion particularly in government but unfortunately the people directly affected are not being carried along, hence the meeting.

While lamenting that “extractive activities have destroyed the environment and climate of oil bearing communities,” Enade said yet “over time, we have discovered that climate change issues have always been at the centre stage of discussion politically, but even as at that the people are not being carried along.”

He added: “They want their voices to be heard; they want inclusion in government decisions when it comes to the environment. They want reparation from the government, and then communities where extractive activities are ongoing should be halted.”

“So, this is an avenue to aired their voices; they are using the medium to tell the whole world that they are suffering and that they demand climate justice.”

Also speaking, another environmental activist and youth leader, Akiri Murphy, said due to the operations of the ‘Warri Refinery’ sited in Ekpan community, residents of the community and other neighbouring communities are “seriously suffering.”

According to him, the Petrol Chemical plant and other machines in the refinery are obsulate thereby emitting soot and making life unbearable for the residents.

He said: “The Refinery Petrol Chemical plant emitts Carbon Black (soot) into the community, and the worse, this plant is being put on at midnight, thereby polluting the whole area. This has affected the health of residents of the community.

“The water which is their only source of drinking and fishing is being affected by the soot.

“The waste from the Warri Refinery also goes into the Ubeji community water thereby affecting them. Most of the people are into fishing but because of the impact they can no longer fish. They need to travel far before they can catch fish.

“The Federal Government should fix the refinery. The machines in the refinery need refurbish. The Petrol Chemical Machine is completely dead, it needs replacement. Fixing the refinery will reduce the pollution and enable the people in the area to live a better life.”

Also, Mrs Elizabeth Eyo, from oil producing community in Edo State, while calling for climate justice particularly for oil and gas producing communities, said “we want a situation where people from oil producing communities benefit hugely from oil exploration.”

She said: “The government should know that people living in oil producing communities can no longer farm due to exploration. Most of the people in these oil producing communities are either famers or fishermen. The government should bear in mind that these people need to feed, earn a living. So, the government should do something about this so they too can live a meaningful life.

“The bad water occasioned by oil exploration is affecting the reproductive health of the women. “

News

JUST IN: Nigerian Separatist Leader Convicted On Terrorism Charges

Published

43 minutes ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

A court in Nigeria has found separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu guilty of terrorism 10 years after he was first arrested.

The court said it was satisfied that Kanu had made a series of broadcasts to incite violence and killings, as part of his campaign for a separate state in south-east Nigeria, known as Biafra.

Kanu has so far been convicted on six of the seven charges he faced, with the judge continuing to deliver his ruling.

A relatively obscure figure, Kanu’s popularity surged in 2009 when he started Radio Biafra, a station that called for an independent state for the Igbo people broadcast to Nigeria from London.

Though he grew up in south-eastern Nigeria, where he attended the University of Nsukka, Kanu moved to the UK before graduating and acquired British nationality.

In 2014, he set up the Indigenous People Of Biafra (Ipob), a movement demanding independence.

Ipob was banned as a terrorist organisation in 2017. Its armed wing – the Eastern Security Network – has been accused of killings and other acts of violence in recent years.

Delivering his judgement, Judge James Omotosho said: “Mr Kanu knew what he was doing, he was bent on carrying out these threats without consideration to his own people.

“From the incontroverted evidence, it is clear that the defendant carried out preparatory act of terrorism.

“He had the duty to explain himself but failed to do so.”

Ahead of the verdict, Kanu insisted that proceedings could not continue because he had not yet filed his final written address, accusing the judge of bias and not understanding the law.

The verdict was delivered after Kanu had been forcibly removed from the courtroom for unruly behaviour.

He was first arrested in October 2015 but he jumped bail in 2017 and left the country after a military raid on his home. The court later revoked his bail in March 2019 and he was re-arrested in 2021 in Kenya.

The calls for Biafran independence date back many years.

In 1967 Igbo leaders declared a Biafran state, but after a brutal civil war, which led to the deaths of up to a million people, the secessionist rebellion was defeated.

News

Alleged Christian Genocide: APC Requests To Testify At US Congress

Published

3 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in the United States has requested to testify at the US House Subcommittee on Africa today (Thursday).

This is as American lawmakers review former President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”, CPC, over alleged religious persecution.

APC USA, in a letter to the Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Chris Smith, said it was prepared to send a high-level delegation to present what it described as “firsthand intelligence and verifiable data” on Nigeria’s security realities.

Chairman of the APC USA, Prof Tai Balofin, confirmed the request in a statement in Abuja, saying the group hoped to provide clarity on what it views as misconceptions surrounding Nigeria’s security challenges.

Fear grips Nigerians as terrorists go on rampage, target large gatherings
“We support religious freedom for all Nigerians, but narratives abroad often fail to reflect the full complexity of the crisis.

“The insecurity in Nigeria is driven by banditry, resource conflict, climate pressures and transnational crime-not solely by religious persecution. Congress deserves the complete picture before reaching conclusions,” he said.

According to him, the proposed testimony would also highlight what the group sees as security gains under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The APC USA delegation also plans to recommend deeper US–Nigeria cooperation on security, intelligence sharing and humanitarian support.

The call for testimony comes shortly after Nigeria criticised the United States for excluding it from a UN event hosted by American rapper Nicki Minaj, which focused on alleged killings of Nigerians from a particular faith group.

News

Foundation Holds School Debate In Benin To Address Negative Narrative About Education

Published

16 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Editor

Osahon Enabulele Foundation, (DOEF), has given reason for organising interschool secondary schools debate in Edo State, saying it was “conceived to tackle the negative narrative surrounding the value of education among the younger generation.”

The Director—General of the foundation, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, stated this at the grand finale of the maiden edition of the debate held in Benin on Wednesday.

The competition, titled: “If education is a scam or not” was informed by the social-economic reality with students demonstrating impressive intellectual competition and depth.

Enabulele stressed that the debate was aimed at promoting intellectual development, encouraging civic engagement and public speaking, and fostering leadership qualities and critical thinking.

He added that the foundation, established nine months ago, was driven by strategic pillars that include leadership and governance, health, education, policy advocacy and social philanthropy.

According to him, many young people are becoming disillusioned by society’s “defective role modelling” and the “unfortunate reward for individuals with questionable sources of wealth,”

He said, “The debate is totally driven by the Foundation as a deliberate interventionist initiative that seeks to reverse the worrisome negative narrative about education, particularly amongst our upcoming generations, including our youths who are increasingly becoming victims of our society’s defective role modelling and unfortunate reward for individuals with very questionable sources of wealth, with leadership and societal positions. Our younger ones are truly becoming disillusioned as a result of these inanities.

“Some no longer think it is worthwhile to acquire education or task their brains in any way. This debate initiative is therefore our Foundation’s committed efforts to contribute to the reversal of this worrisome trend and mindset affliction.”

The interschool debate saw Eghosa Grammar School clinching the N1m star prize while other winners were also presented with a certificate of participation, books and other sundry items.

The outstanding speakers during the debate also went home with cash prizes ranging from N100,000 to N200, 000.