Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, has described the federal government’s plan to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land as “premature.”
Peterside made this assertion on Wednesday during an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television. He emphasized that restarting oil exploration without addressing longstanding grievances of the Ogoni people could further deepen distrust and exacerbate existing tensions in the region.
“If I must be sincere with you, it will be premature to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land,” he said. “The government must prioritize further consultations, build trust, and show genuine commitment to real environmental governance.”
His comments come in the wake of a high-profile meeting on January 21 between President Bola Tinubu, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, and a delegation of Ogoni leaders. The meeting followed demands from a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) calling for a $1 trillion fund for environmental clean-up and compensation before any oil operations resume.
Lingering Environmental and Socioeconomic Concerns
The Niger Delta region, and Ogoni land in particular, has suffered extensive environmental degradation due to decades of oil exploration, primarily by multinational corporations. The Ogoni people have long resisted oil activities on their land, citing pollution, loss of livelihoods, and lack of economic benefits as core issues.
Peterside pointed out that the inequitable distribution of oil revenues has historically excluded local communities, a situation that must be addressed before any meaningful progress can be made.
“The challenge all along has been the opaque nature of oil exploration, not just in Ogoni land but across the entire Niger Delta,” he stated. “Until we address the unfair distribution of oil benefits in a transparent manner, we will not make much progress.”
The Ogoni struggle against environmental injustice dates back to the 1990s when the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by the late activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, brought international attention to the environmental devastation caused by oil extraction. The movement led to widespread protests and conflicts with the Nigerian government, culminating in the execution of Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders in 1995.
University Establishment Not a Substitute for Justice
Peterside also weighed in on the recent establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni land, noting that while the institution is a welcome development, it does not directly address the core issues of environmental justice and resource control.
“Creating a university in Ogoni land is not the same as addressing the environmental injustice that the people have suffered,” he said. “Revisiting the Ogoni Bill of Rights is crucial to ensuring that the longstanding grievances of the people are adequately addressed.”
President Tinubu signed the bill establishing the university into law on February 3, describing it as a step toward environmental justice and expanded educational opportunities in the Niger Delta. He hailed the institution as a “significant milestone” in Nigeria’s push for sustainability and development.
However, Peterside maintained that genuine reconciliation and justice for the Ogoni people must go beyond infrastructural projects and include transparent environmental restoration efforts, economic empowerment, and fair resource allocation.
As the federal government moves forward with its plans, stakeholders in the region continue to insist that any decision regarding oil exploration must be preceded by meaningful dialogue and tangible actions to rectify past injustices.
