Niger Delta stakeholders have accused the federal government of fueling crisis between oil multi-national companies and their host communities in the region.
The stakeholders said the federal government is in support of the outright violation of their environmental rights by oil companies.
According to an environmental rights activist from the oil-rich region, Ann Kio Briggs, over the years, the federal government has refused to speak out in defence for the people each time their environmental rights were infringed upon by multi-nationals.
Ann Kio Briggs said: “Since the oil companies are fully aware that our government does not in any way hold them accountable for the unlawful damage of our environment, they are now polluting our environment with impunity.
“I will advice our host communities to keep on using peaceful and legal means to fight for their rights. They should approach the court when necessary because that is the only way these multi-nationals will respect their environmental rights.”
The environmentalist also expressed worries at the extent to which the people of the Niger Delta region are poor in the midst of the dollar billions that both the multi-nationals and the Nigerian government are making from their area.
