Brave Dickson
Ogoni youths under the aegis of Ogoni Youths Federation have described the seemingly delay in the suit filed against HYPREP and the Federal Ministry of Environment over the $10 million meant for the clean up of Ogoniland as an attempt to truncate Justice.
The group was surprised to appear in court yesterday only to be told that the matter could not commence on the ground that the presiding judge was not on seat, adding that the suit has been adjourned till April 15, 2019.
Reacting to the development, President of the Group, Mr Legborsi Yamaabana said, “the defendants in the suit, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, its Coordinator, Mr Marvin Dekil and the federal ministry of environmental were using various antics to scuttle the suit before the court.”
“They don’t want to be accountable to the $10 million take-off grant released to them by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Joint Venture for the implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland.
“We came to court to demand for accountability and transparency by HYPREP and the Federal Ministry of Environment in respect to the Ogoni clean up.”
It could be recalled that the group had approached the court to have the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, and the Federal Ministry of Environment furnish it with details of expenditure on the $10 million in contention.
Upon a motion ex-parte sought by the group through its lawyer, Barr. Asuk Ikpoko, the presiding judge, Justice E. A. Obile, granted the prayers of the group to file and serve writ of summons for judicial review to the first, second and third defendants (HYPREP, Marvin Dekil and the federal ministry of environment.
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