By Tina Amanda
The Lekeh Development Foundation (LEDEF) has pledged to mobilize Ogoni communities to resist any attempts at the forceful resumption of oil exploration and exploitation in Ogoniland.
The Foundation made this declaration during the commemoration of the 2025 Ogoni Day in partnership with the YERABA Women Foundation in Rivers State.
LEDEF called for a just, equitable, and culture-sensitive transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, emphasizing affordability and accessibility for the Ogoni people and the broader Niger Delta region.
Speaking at the event on Friday, Nbani, Executive Director of LEDEF, stated that environmental restoration, political inclusion, and economic justice must be prioritized before any discussions on oil resumption.
“The Ogoni struggle dates back to 1993 when communities shut down oil wells in protest against economic exploitation, environmental degradation, and repression caused by Shell and the Nigerian military government. The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, became the voice of the people, demanding justice and restoration.
“Oil exploration, which began in 1958, led to extensive environmental damage, with Ogoniland ranked among the most polluted areas globally. A 2011 UNEP report revealed that underground water sources in Ogoni were contaminated with benzene, a carcinogen, at levels 900 times above WHO standards.
“Decades of unchecked oil activities devastated the ecosystem, destroyed livelihoods, and caused health crises in Ogoniland, farmers and fishermen lost their sources of income, while oil spills, gas flaring, and acid rain made life unbearable. Basic amenities, such as clean water, healthcare, and education, remain elusive despite the region’s resource wealth.”
LEDEF criticized Shell’s plans to divest its onshore assets without addressing decades of pollution in the Niger Delta. The group also opposed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), describing it as exploitative and detrimental to oil-bearing communities.
“We strongly oppose the planned divestment of Shell’s onshore assets without addressing the liabilities caused by decades of pollution in the Niger Delta.
“Shell must clean up its mess, compensate affected communities, and ensure environmental restoration before any divestment takes place.”
The group called on HYPREP to prioritize environmental restoration over carbon credit schemes. While recent scholarship initiatives were commended.
“The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has made limited progress in the Ogoni cleanup, despite significant funds allocated to the project. We commend recent initiatives, such as scholarships for Ogoni post-graduate students.
“We strongly warn that HYPREP should stop any plan of carbon credit schemes and focus on its core mandate of environmental remediation and restoration.”
They further demand political autonomy to manage their affairs, a fair share of their resources for development, environmental restoration and protection, and basic infrastructure, including potable water, healthcare, and electricity.
The group urged the Federal Government to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, impose taxes on fossil fuels, prevent Shell’s divestment without accountability, establish a Federal University of Environment to foster development in Ogoniland, and strengthen institutions to ensure oil companies are held accountable.
