The Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) has rejected signing an agreement with the Federal Government on the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland until credible community congresses are held to obtain the people’s consent.
The committee said the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) must receive the confidence and approval of residents across the four local government areas in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
The decision was reached at a meeting of 35 ODC members in Port Harcourt, where they reviewed the proposed agreement and ongoing efforts to resolve the longstanding crisis.
Recall, oil exploration in Ogoniland was suspended in 1993 following protests over environmental degradation and economic marginalisation. The crisis deepened in 1995 following the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders.
President Bola Tinubu had, in September 2025, directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to engage the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Ogoni stakeholders to facilitate the resumption of oil production.
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Speaking after the meeting, the King of Eleme, Philip Obele, said the committee would not sign any agreement until authentic community congresses were organised by elected council chairmen.
The committee also urged the Federal Government to fulfil previously agreed confidence-building projects, particularly the abandoned Eleme section of the East-West Road.
A member of the committee, Innocent Barikor, said completing the projects would demonstrate the government’s sincerity and help restore confidence in the dialogue process.
Meanwhile, 51 civil society organisations opposed the proposed oil resumption in August 2026, insisting that environmental remediation should take priority.
The United Nations Environment Programme’s 2011 assessment documented extensive oil pollution in Ogoniland and recommended comprehensive environmental restoration.
The committee’s position underscores the importance of community consent and visible government commitments before oil exploration can resume in the area.
