By Joseph Ebi Kanjo 

A coalition of civil society organisations has called on the Federal Government and oil companies to halt the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, Rivers State, Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement endorsed by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF); We the People; Policy Alert; Peoples Advancement Centre; Peace Point Development Foundation and seven other civil society organisations.

The civil society organisations, while expressing deep concern that 33 years after the people of Ogoni made their demands contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, none of their concerns and prayers have been addressed, said “it is disappointing and demonstrates insensitivity for the government to imagine that those concerns have simply withered away with time.”

“Those of us who remain connected to the communities know for a fact that the Ogoni people remain resolute in their resistance to any renewed hydrocarbon extraction in their domains,” they added.

The statement reads in part: “As Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria, we have keenly observed the scheming and unhindered contestations over the resumption of extraction of oil in the disputed oilfields of Ogoniland.

“Over the last decade, we
have seen scheming by Shell and the Nigeria government- including resort to court processes- to resume drilling for crude oil with its attendant environmental, social and security recklessness in Ogoniland.

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“The latest contestation follows the visit of some Ogonis to President
Bola Tinubu ostensibly with the mandate of the Ogoni people to negotiate the resumption of oil extraction in the area.

“It is particularly disappointing to see that, in the fight over OML 11
and the resumption of oil extraction in Ogoniland, there has been no
mention or discussion of getting the indigenous Ogoni people free, prior and informed permission.

“It is unclear whether any consultations have taken place with the impacted communities, or whether their rights to a safe environment and interests have been considered.

“We believe that these recent attempts are callous, ill-advised, and capable of inciting suspicion and conflict in an already tense and conflict-prone area.

It is also gravely disconcerting that in the ongoing frenzy, the
concerns raised by the Ogoni people 33 years ago which led to the termination of oil extraction have not been addressed.

“Similarly, there has been no attempt to secure justice for the countless families that lost lives, livelihoods, and properties in what is still the worst attack on a peaceful indigenous population by Nigerian security forces.

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“Persons who committed acts of genocide and abuses against unarmed populations, and boasted publicly about it, have still not been brought to justice. For the majority of Ogonis, the events of the 1990s remain an open and sour wound, begging for the healing of truth and justice.

“Critical to this is the fact that the moves to resume the extraction of
oil in Ogoniland is happening against the backdrop of the contentious clean-up of polluted sites in Ogoni.

“In 2012, Hydrocarbon Pollution
Remediation Project (HYPREP) was set up to lead and coordinate the
activities needed to implement the recommendations of the UNEP report on oil contamination in Ogoniland, including cleanup activities.

“The cleanup has been marred by concerns of irregularities, and in many instances low quality of job done and contract racketeering. These have created peculiar difficulties in the cleanup process.

“It is worrying why the government will decide to resume oil extraction
in Ogoniland when the pollution of the last decades is yet to be cleaned and the recommendations of UNEP are yet to be fully complied with.

“How does one explain the fact that a site supposedly being cleaned up will resume full oil extraction activities with all the pollution that comes with it?

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“For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the Niger Delta as a whole has become the epicentre for hydrocarbon pollution in need of immediate remediation.

“The environmental assessment of Ogoniland report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the May
2023 Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) report both demonstrate beyond any reasonable doubt the scale of destruction and the
true costs of extracting oil and gas.

“We are deeply concerned about the neglect of key issues around
ecological and social justice in Ogoniland. The world recognizes that the people of Ogoni have suffered unprecedented pains and loses onaccount of oil extraction.

“No apology has been rendered for the destruction of their environment, the killing of their people, the loss of their livelihoods, the destruction of their villages, the forced exile of their people and the murder of their leaders. To assume that the extraction of oil can commence whilst these issues remain on the front burner, is to be naïve at best and cruel at worse.”

They, therefore, urged concerned authorities to “concentrate on redeeming the ecological
disaster in the area, decommissioning aged oil infrastructure, replacing
the lost livelihood of the people and securing justice for the countless
Ogonis waiting for closure”

In commemoration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has emphasized the need “to preserve our biodiversity and reconnect with nature.”

International Day for Biological Diversity with this year’s theme: “Be Part of the Plan,” is celebrated on the 22nd of May yearly, and it’s aims at raising awareness, promoting issues around biodiversity, and the significant reduction in biological diversity due to human activities.”

In a statement issued by Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of the organisation said as the theme implies, humans are m charged to live with due deference to nature.

According to him, despite the ritual, humans’ insatiable drive for resources has exposed the nature of human relationships with their surroundings and natural beings around them as a tool for exploitation.

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Bassey further added: “We are the losers when we continually cheat on nature through extractive activities and intentional destruction of biodiversity. We must all consider ourselves as part of the plan to build a livable future where all beings coexist
harmoniously.”

He continued: “The continuous genetic alteration of our crops and livestock and pollution of our environment has direct implications for biodiversity and our quality of life. These continuously destroy what we once called the good life.”

On her part, Director of Programmes, HOMEF, Joyce Brown, states, “Biodiversity contributes to human well-being directly through the provision of foods, fuels, and fibers, and
indirectly through its role in enhancing the ecosystem functions.”

“Pollution from oil and gas exploration and extraction, climate change, invasive species, over harvesting of resources, and plastic pollution pose severe threats to Nigeria’s biological diversity. These are further compounded by Nigeria’s move to adopt modern agricultural biotechnology as a solution to food insecurity.

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“The adoption of GMOs, as well as
chemical fertilizers/pesticides, comes at a great cost to biodiversity and the environment. GMOs thrive in monocultures and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides destroy non target but beneficial organisms including soil microorganisms, bees and other insects that are essential
for maintaining the cycles of life.”

According to her, “Biodiversity loss will continue to accelerate if we keep on the trajectory of genetic manipulations of our food and dependence on chemical fertiliers and pesticides. Further destruction of ecosystems and habitats will threaten our ability to sustain human populations.”

Brown highlighted solutions to biodiversity erosion to include improving waste management systems, and better management of protected areas, including national parks, wildlife reserves, and forest reserves, through improved governance, law enforcement, and community involvement.

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“The Government should encourage adopting agroecological farming
practices that promote biodiversity conservation, soil health, and
sustainable agriculture. Also, the Government should develop and
implement strategies for the prevention, control, and eradication of invasive species that threaten native biodiversity in Nigeria. It is
important to enhance monitoring and early detection systems to prevent the establishment and spread of invasive species, particularly in sensitive ecosystems,” Brown added.

She therefore called for active monitoring and reporting of infringements of the environment for human health and overall well-being.

“The precautionary principle should be the bedrock of biosafety
regulation. To address the climate and food crises, we must address their root causes. As a way forward, we must adopt solutions that work
with nature instead of against it and promote systems that support the
livelihoods of millions of people depending on them,” Brown added.

A yet-to-be identified young lady was found lifeless behind Ishieke hostel in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

One Evangelist Prince Nwoba Solomon, who disclosed this in a Facebook post on Wednesday night, May 22, 2024, said the deceased was found by two passersby and rushed to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital.

He claimed she took a poisonous substance suspected to be a sniper.

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“This young lady was rushed to fetha 2 by passerby after they found her lying dead behind Ishieke hostel.

“Apparently she committed suicide by drinking a bottle of sniper.

“No items are found on her, anybody that knows or can identify her should rush down to fetha 2, repost to various groups so her family can be found,” he wrote.

This photo is shared for easy identification by her relations or friends