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Group Mulls Legal Option To Stop IOCs’ Divestment From N’Delta

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2024

A human rights organization, ‘We The People,’ has said that it is considering legal options to hold international oil companies responsible for the massive environmental degradation from their operations in the Niger Delta for the past seven decades.

The organization said the move became necessary following the rush by the IOCs to abandon their onshore operations for deep offshore activities currently called divestment.

Executive Director of ‘We The People,’ Ken Henshaw, stated this during a Legal Roundtable on Oil Company Divestment, held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Henshaw said the roundtable was aimed at galvanizing experts on the environment, legal system, the media and civil society organizations to proffer legal options to hold the IOCs responsible for the years of environmental carnage in the Niger Delta before they are allowed to embark on what many have described as the criminal flight of oil multi-nationals.

According to The PUNCH, he noted that it would be difficult to hold the companies accountable for the pollution of the region caused by their operations once they leave the shores of the country, hence they needed to be tackled to take responsibility for their activities.

Henshaw stated, “Since 2020 to 2021, many international oil companies that have operated in the Niger Delta for nearly 70 years have all started selling off their assets, Agip is selling to Oando, Shell is selling to Renaissance Energy, ExxonMobil is selling to Seplat. They are selling off these assets and the players taking over these assets are indigenous companies.

“We think that this is a real problem in the sense that we are not sure of the chances or opportunities of holding these companies accountable when they leave.

“We all know that the extraction of crude oil and gas has created different levels of problems. Routinely, gas has been flared for almost 70 years, routinely oil spilled for almost 60 years and this has caused serious ecological damage and also damage to the health of the people. It has made their fishing and occupation not viable.

“So after 70 years, we are simply saying that there is a need for us to assess the extent of negative impacts created by oil extraction and place liability and responsibility where liability and responsibility should be placed.

“We are simply asking through this meeting, what are the legal options available to hold these companies accountable?”

Delivering the keynote address, a specialist in Petroleum and International Law and Policy at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ibiba Worika, urged the Federal Government to exercise restraint in ratifying the oil companies’ assets divestment.

Worika advised the government to ensure that companies address the historical pollution and other environmental concerns in the oil-rich region before being allowed to leave because the people will be at the receiving end.

He said, “For us here in the Niger Delta, the divestment of IOCs is something that basically we are likely going to be at the receiving end, our environment has been essentially despoiled over the years due to decades of oil and gas exploration and development and historical pollutions have never been addressed by the oil majors or the government, and unfortunately, our communities are left alone to deal with this.

“The question is, should these oil and gas majors be allowed to divest their assets and just walk away, without addressing the historical pollution and other environmental concerns?

“I don’t think that would be fair, I think that the Federal Government should exercise restraint on giving its approval so we can have a round table discussion where these concerns can truly be expressed and let’s see what it is that can be done to address these concerns.”

Worika added that should the government fail to do the needful soonest, civil society organizations in the Niger Delta would be left with no other option but to institute legal action against the Federal Government and the IOCs.

He insisted, “I have not heard of any instances where a local government area or a state government took it upon itself to sue an oil major for and on behalf of the communities. I have not seen that, but we still have them sharing the revenues from oil and gas exploration from all these communities.

“If this is not done then I fear that we may have to institute legal actions ahead of the divestment, restraining both the Federal Government and the oil companies concerned from divesting until these matters are looked into, much more approximately, and of course remediation, as well as compensation packages are arranged for the communities.”

On his part, a former Commissioner for Environment in Bayelsa State, Iniruo Wills, said the blame for unending environmental pollution in the region should be on political leaders, such as governors, ministers and senators from the region, who he accused of abetting the pollution of the environment.

Wills, who is an environmental advocate, alleged that the political leaders have allowed the trend to continue because of pecuniary benefits.

He said, “Some of us are surprised that no state government in the Niger Delta is doing anything serious about abating the pollution in the region. So this is an opportunity to call on the individuals, I don’t like fiction or ghosts, but individuals like you and I, who are holding the offices, have the authority needed to do something.

“Some of them are in Abuja, Abuja is too far, we are in the Niger Delta, who are people in the Niger Delta that we the people have put as our gatekeepers to defend us, to defend our territories, such as the governors? So the kind of pollution and other environmental hazards that we have been singing about for 50 to 70 years are continuing, not just because of the people in Abuja or the oil companies.

“It is because somebody or people who are governors, senators, or ministers of petroleum from the Niger Delta have refused to do anything about it.

“As of this moment that we are speaking, if pollution is continuing in Rivers State, it is because Governor Siminalayi Fubara does not consider it a priority. If it is continuing in Bayelsa State, it would be because Governor Duoyi Diri does not take it as a priority.

“The day that one governor in the Niger Delta considers that this thing is a danger to his people and he is going to deploy the full weight of his executive authority and resources to deal with it, this madness will come to an end.”

News

Eating Takeout Food Often May Increase Heart Disease Risk — Study

Published

19 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Research suggests that higher takeout food consumption may increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart disease.

In a new study, published in Food Science & Nutrition, researchers said eating takeout food too often can influence systemic inflammation that underlies much cardiovascular disease.

The study of over eight thousand people in the 2009 to 2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who eat greater amounts of takeout food are likely to have various elevated risk factors for heart disease.

They were interviewed in their homes and also visited a mobile examination centre, where they recalled their food intake, received cardiometabolic health assessments, and had blood collected.

Mammograms may predict heart disease risk in women — Study

The researchers found a correlation between the amount of takeout food a person consumes and their likelihood of developing chronic low-level inflammation, a key driver of cardiovascular pathology.

Deaths from cardiovascular disease and the consumption of takeout foods are both on the rise, and while that does not prove a causal relationship, the study explores whether there is a connection between the two.

The study tracked degrees of systemic inflammation according to the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), a scale that quantifies the risk of inflammation related to the intake of specific dietary substances.

The three major takeaways from the analysis included that a higher level of takeout food consumption corresponded to an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile consisting of lower HDL, as well as higher triglycerides, fasting glucose, serum insulin, and insulin resistance.

Jayne Morgan, MD, cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs in a reaction, who was not involved in the study, explained that “Takeout food raises the cardiovascular risk not because of one ingredient, but because of a predictable combination of nutrients, additives, and preparation methods that adversely affect blood pressure, lipids, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and endothelial function.”

“This includes excess sodium that increases blood volume and blood vessel stiffness, and unhealthy fats, usually saturated fats or trans fats, that increase cholesterol level and atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to heart attack and stroke.”

Michelle Routhenstein, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at Entirely Nourished, also not involved in this study, declared, “It is also important to recognise that frequent takeout use often reflects broader lifestyle pressures such as demanding schedules, limited access to cooking resources, irregular meals, and disrupted sleep, all of which can quietly compound cardiovascular risk.”

News

How To Identify Fake Kiss Condoms In Circulation

Published

21 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently warned Nigerians about the circulation of counterfeit Kiss brand condoms in major markets across the country.

Contents
Original DKT Kiss condoms
Fake Kiss condoms

In a public alert published on its website recently and referenced as Public Alert No. 042/2025, the agency said the warning followed information received from DKT International Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation involved in contraceptive social marketing and HIV/AIDS prevention.

NAFDAC stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is notifying the public about the sale and distribution of fake Kiss condoms in various Nigerian markets.

“The information was received from the MAH-DKT International Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organisation focused on contraceptive social marketing. Its mission is to provide Nigerians with affordable and safe options for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention.

“The fake Kiss condoms have been reported to be found in Onitsha Market, Idumota Market, Trade Fair Market, and various markets in Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, Enugu, and others.”

Kiss condom is a brand of male latex condoms designed to offer sexual protection, including the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

To help consumers avoid counterfeit products, NAFDAC outlined key differences between original and fake Kiss condoms.

Original DKT Kiss condoms
The original product comes in a light red box pack with clear instructions printed on the lower part of the pack, including single-use warnings and storage and caution information. The box contains detailed medical device information, including MDSS GmbH, Germany, and a complete Nigerian address at Isolo Industrial Layout, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

The condom pack is light red, with the word “Kiss” closely written on six lines. The wallet outer pack is lighter red, carries the Oshodi-Apapa address, manufacturer details, and a clear product description beside the condom image. The hidden flap includes revision dates, medical device details, and caution information, while the wallet inner contains detailed instructions and eight bullet points under important notes.

The original condom is large, oval-shaped, well-lubricated, and has a large teat end for semen collection.

Fake Kiss condoms
In contrast, fake Kiss condoms come in darker-coloured box packs with little or no additional information. Some boxes are plain white inside and lack condom images. The address is wrongly listed as 42, Montgomery Road, Yaba, Lagos, while the manufacturer’s address is incomplete or missing. Storage and caution information is absent.

The condom pack is darker, with “Kiss” loosely written on five lines and wide spacing. The condom strip is longer than the original. The wallet outer pack is also darker red, carries incorrect or missing addresses, lacks colour wave designs, and shows inconsistencies in barcode lines. Medical device and caution information are missing, and the hidden flap contains no details.

Inside the wallet, information is summarised with only six bullet points. The fake condom is thinner, round-shaped, less lubricated, and has a smaller teat end.
(TRIBUNE)

News

Lagos: Police Arrest 14 Suspected Traffic Robbers On Lekki-Epe Expressway

Published

24 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Fourteen persons suspected to be involved in traffic-related robbery have been arrested at various points along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos over the past two weeks.

The arrests were confirmed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, via a post on her official X handle, @AbimbolaShotayo.

According to her, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Squad based in Elemoro carried out the operations that led to the suspects’ apprehension.

She explained that the arrests followed sustained patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at curbing criminal activities associated with traffic congestion and improving the safety of motorists and other road users along the busy corridor.

Adebisi noted that the development reflects the Command’s determination to strengthen security and uphold law and order on the Lekki-Epe axis, adding that the Tactical Squad has continued to proactively identify crime-prone areas and respond swiftly to threats posed by criminal elements.

She called on residents and commuters to support police efforts by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and detecting crime.

“Security is a shared responsibility. Members of the public are encouraged to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station,” she said.

The police spokesperson further reassured residents and road users of the Command’s commitment to maintaining aggressive patrols and security operations to protect lives and property in the area.

She reiterated the Command’s community policing message, “See Something, Say Something,” stressing the importance of cooperation between the police and the public in sustaining peace and security.