The Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding an immediate halt to oil exploration activities allegedly being carried out by NNPCL Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) in Ledor community, Tai Local Government Area, and other parts of Ogoniland.
In the petition, OLI maintained that the Presidency has not authorized NEPL or any other company to commence oil exploration in Ogoniland, describing the move as unjust and illegal.
Reacting on behalf of group Dr. Douglas Fabeke, President of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative, expressed concerns over the attempt to resume exploration in Ledor, a community whose residents were displaced during the military crackdown under the late General Sani Abacha administration.
The group insisted that oil operations in Ogoni should not resume until the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report are fully implemented, adequate compensation is paid to the people, and the demands of the Ogoni Bill of Rights are addressed.
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“This amounts to a grave injustice to the Ogoni people,” the group warned, adding that it is prepared to take all necessary legal measures to stop what it called unauthorized exploration by NEPL or any other operator.
In pursuit of peace and order, OLI said it has also written to several government agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), urging urgent intervention to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order in the area.
