Youths of Ogoniland in Rivers State have demanded an immediate halt to alleged secret oil drilling and pipeline construction in the area, saying such activities must stop while discussions on the resumption of oil exploration are in progress.
The President of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative, Imeabe Saviour has called for a stop to the clandestine exercise in a letter dated 8 September, 2026 addressed to the President, Bola Tinubu, and copied to other senior government officials.
Saviour said the youths were not opposed to resumption of oil exploration in the Ogoniland, saying oil operations would boost the economy and development in the area.
However, he accused that moves were already underway to resume oil operations secretly despite ongoing talks between the Federal Government and stakeholders on the exercise.
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The letter, titled, “Notice of Protest Against Oil Resumption in Ogoniland Without Creation of Bori State” also warned against what the youths described as the ongoing laying of pipelines across Ogoniland.
Saviour said the development showed lack of transparency in the process of resuming oil exploration and undermined the current dialogue with the Ogoni people.
“The leadership and entire membership of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI) hereby notifies the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Government of our intentions to embark on a statewide protest in the coming weeks against oil resumption without the creation of Bori State.
“Also, we write to make our position clear regarding the clandestine and insincere moves to resume oil operations in Ogoniland. Let it be known that we are not fundamentally opposed to economic progress or oil exploration in our land,” the letter stated.
OYDI president argued that the Ogoni people had lost significantly human and environmental losses during years of agitation over oil exploration and environmental degradation.
He maintained that the creation of Bori State would be the major political response to the sacrifices made by Ogoni people in the struggle.
Saviour further accused the Ogoni Dialogue Committee of acting in bad faith, saying pipeline construction was ongoing despite the stakeholders talking on the proposed return of oil exploration.
According to him, the development had further eroded the youths’ confidence in the process of the dialogue.
The group consequently demanded the immediate dissolution of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, saying its operation lacked transparency and did not take adequate inclusion of the youth population.
It also called on the Federal Government to abide by the principles contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, which demand greater political autonomy through the creation of Bori State.
The youths warned the Federal Government and joint-venture partners against resuming oil operations in Ogoniland without first addressing their concerns.
The group said it would mobilise youths across the kingdoms in Ogoniland for peaceful protests against attempts to resume oil operations before addressing its demands.
OYDI declared that its position remained: “Create Bori State, or leave our oil in the ground.”
