By Kolawole Ojebisi
President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over a closed door meeting with some eminent people from the oil-rich state of Rivers State.
The closed-door meeting is ongoing as this report is being filed. The key participants in the meeting include the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and leaders of Ogoniland from four Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
Although Fubara and the Ogoni delegation arrived earlier at the Council Chamber of the State House, it was gathered that the official vehicle of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, arrived at the Villa around 2:45 pm.
Fubara’s delegation includes Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, Senators Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Kenneth Kobani, and Prof. B. Fakae, among others.
Also in attendance are the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari.
Although the agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed, it is believed to be connected to the Ogoni clean-up project and the potential resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
The Federal Government has previously raised concerns about the long suspension of oil exploration in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organisations has demanded $1 trillion from the Federal Government for the clean-up of the Niger Delta and compensation for the loss of livelihoods before crude oil production can resume in Ogoniland.
The demands were outlined in a statement by organisations including Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, expressing concerns over the government’s reported plans to restart oil production in the community.
The group criticised the move, describing it as a disregard for environmental justice.
The statement also referenced the 2011 UNEP report, which documented extensive environmental degradation in Ogoniland caused by oil activities, including widespread pollution of land, water, and air.
