Niger Delta

Ogonis Submit Seven-Point Demands To FG

Published

8 years ago

May 9, 2018

The Ogoni Multi-Stakeholders’ Forum has submitted a seven-point demand to the Federal Government listing conditions to be met before the resumption of oil exploration and production activities in the area.
The demands were presented to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, during a roundtable dialogue with enlarged Ogoni stakeholders at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Tower, Abuja, last Thursday.
Presenting the demands on behalf of Ogoni leaders, National Coordinator, Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba said: “We have consistently maintained in all our correspondences to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and in particular, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, that we are not opposed to the resumption of oil and gas operations in OML 11 (Ogoni Fields).
“We, however, strongly demand that before the resumption of oil operation in Ogoniland, the suit brought by the Ogoni people to set aside the judgment of the 1995 kangaroo tribunal of the Federal Military Government that led to the gruesome execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 others, currently before the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, should be first disposed off and their name cleared from the black books.
“The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and its parent company, the Royal Dutch Shell, remain persona non grata in Ogoniland as declared by our forebears in 1993.
“The SPDC’s application for the renewal of its expiring lease over the OML 11 (Ogoni Fields) should be rejected. The Ogoni Fields (Block) should revert to the Federal Government of Nigeria, effective from 30th June 2019 and should not be renewed for SPDC.
“The preliminary approvals granted to RoboMichael Nigeria Limited and/or other companies to develop the Ogoni Fields should be revoked/withdrawn.
“The environmental catastrophe created by the over three decades of SPDC’s reckless operations in Ogoniland should be cleaned up as recommended in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria should come to Bori (the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland) to discuss with the Ogoni people and address all legal issues touching on the development of OML 11 (Ogoni Fields).
“All communities in Ogoni should be connected to the national-grid as all the six power plants in Afam are located in Ogoniland. Also, the over 14 Ogoni communities which were destroyed during the military occupation in Ogoniland in the 1990s should be rebuilt and the Ogoni refugees within and outside Nigeria should be rehabilitated,” the demands read.
Topba, however, assured that once SPDC was able to apologise for the Ogoni massacre, KSWA would take the initiative to mobilise the people to ensure that SPDC resumes oil exploration in Ogoniland.
Also speaking, MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara accused the federal government of causing the problem in Ogoniland, and challenged the government to implement the letters of the Ogoni Bill of Rights and the Justice Oputa Panel Report as it concerns the Ogoni question.
Pyagbara expressed the hope that a better framework would be put together to drive result-oriented engagements with the people of Ogoni going forward, and noted with regret that it took the minister so much time to do the needful in order to restore peace in Ogoni.
In his remarks, Managing Director, SPDC, Osagie Okunbor, said the issues raised by the Ogonis were not new to the company, but insisted that Shell’s position on Ogoni was very clear, adding that it was focusing now on the clean-up of Ogoniland in line with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report.
Okunbor said, “We have kept Shell deliberately out of the frame due to the issues. We want to submit a process that we know you will appreciate. We want to develop a framework. The time now is for healing to return economic activities back to Ogoni. Shell has no intention to return for oil production in Ogoni despite the allegations that we are coming back to resume operation”.
In her speech, Managing Director, RoboMichael Nigeria Limited, Mrs Arobo Ibrahim noted that there were lots of misconceptions about the licence issued to her company, clarifying that what was granted RoboMichael was a preliminary approval in June, 2017, to provide the needed technical aspects leading up to the clean-up and restoration of Ogoniland.
Ibrahim stressed that Ogoni people have the choice to benefit from the natural resources God has given them, adding that whatever was due Ogonis would be given them based on NNPC’s approved standards.
She appealed to Ogonis to be united in their quest to achieve peace and fast-track development of the area.
Ogoni delegation to the parley included the leadership of MOSOP, KSWA, KAGOTE, representatives of traditional rulers, youth and professional groups, among others.
In addition to the top echelon of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the other oil companies at the meeting were the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of NNPC; SPDC; and RoboMichael.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Niger Delta

C’River Bans VIOs From Road Operations

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has banned the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from road operations across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Out, who made the announcement in Calabar on Saturday, restricted activities of the VIO to office duties.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, the directive followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over high tickets, excessive fines and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.

The Governor, who made other announcements in the sector, said the measures were approved after a meeting with key transport stakeholders.

According to the statement, other announcements made was the reduction of daily ticket fee from N850 to N500, while the penalty for failure to purchase the ticket had also been reduced to N10,000.

“All traffic-related fines be slashed by 50 per cent and must be paid only into designated Cross River State Government accounts.

“Daily ticket for tricycle riders have been reduced from N1,200 to N500. However, every activity of commercial tricycle operators ends at 6 p.m. daily, night operations are permanently banned,” Otu asserted.

He said the review was aimed to ease the burden on drivers and restore order in the state’s transport system.

Speaking further, the Governor said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) would now focus on vehicle registration and sale of tickets at approved rates.

He noted that enforcement officers must operate only in proper uniforms and with verifiable identification.

He directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its activities to statutory traffic management duties.

In addition, the Governor announced that “commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders will no longer purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

“These directives will take effect from March 9, and I urge all residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.”

Speaking to The Tide’s source, some commercial drivers said the statement did not address some activities of TRAMRA such as the illegal “no parking order” for drivers who only pick and drop passengers.

For Johnson Ade, a commercial driver, there should be an official release stating the traffic infractions in the state and the fine for each of them.

He said slashing the fines by 50 per cent was ambiguous, adding that the amounts to be paid for each crime should be clearly stated to prevent criminal elements who posed as government traffic regulatory officials from abusing the directive.

On his part, Mr. Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said they would convene a meeting immediately to critically look at the governor’s statement.

It would be recalled that series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators had led to the suspension of all forms of transport tickets in the state by the government.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Community Seeks Govt Recognition For Elected Village Head

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Some indigenes of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, in Ikpe Annang Clan, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have called on the State Government to recognize Chief Samuel James Udo as the authentic Village Head of the community by according him a Certificate of Recognition.

According to them, the call is necessitated by the fact that Chief Udo has won the first and second election processes on 1st May, 2021 and 15th July 2025.

The indigenes said in addition to his emergence after the two election processes, Chief Udo’s emergence has been confirmed by Chief Akpan Akpa Inyang (Okuku Ikpa Isong Annang), who has handed him (Udo) to “UDAK” as stipulated by the custom and tradition of Annang Land.

They said Udo’s emergence marked the end of every struggle by individuals or groups of persons on the issue of headship of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, Ikpe Annang Land, in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

According to them, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Frank Archibong, should call for the recognition of the Village Head-elect of Mbiabong Ikpe Village in accordance with the Traditional Rulers Council Law of Akwa Ibom State, CAP 134.

This, they said, is because he has been duly and rightly selected by the kingmakers as the village Head-elect and have satisfied all requirements in the extant law for the said selection.

“We are informing the Akwa Ibom State Government of the development, because any imposition of any other name to the Governor will not be accepted by the community”, they said.

Meanwhile, they have alleged that some “enemies of progress are causing problem over the Chieftaincy issue after the winner has emerged and accepted by the entire Kingmakers.”

When contacted the Village Head-elect, Chief Samuel James Udo, advised the people not to cause any crises, saying that their mandate will not be denied.

“I will continue to respect the law. My people are law abiding citizens and God will surely stand for true justice and the certificate will be given to me, not through fighting, causing unrest, or violence, but by our faith in God, and the belief that the relevant authorities will do the needful”, he said.

By: Christopher Tom, Uyo

Niger Delta

Delta Unveils World Book Day Festival

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State government on Saturday unveiled the LightRay! Distortion World Book Day Festival.

The festival, themed “That Which Bends, Transcends,” is a major celebration of literature, storytelling, and cultural advocacy in the state.

It was unveiled at the office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Mininim Oseji, in Asaba.

The event was organised by LightRay! Media, in partnership with the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) and Unchained Vibes Africa.

Founder and President of the media group, Ejiro Umukoro, described the event as the first large-scale literary festival in the state.

She explained that the initiative aims to engage both marginalised and privileged communities in dialogue on resilience, hope, and social change through literature.

Highlighting the transformative power of storytelling, Umukoro said literature can inspire action, reshape perspectives, and drive social change within communities.

According to her, the festival builds on the impact of the Distortion novel series produced by LightRay! Media, which explores themes of human resilience, personal agency, and renewal.

She noted that the book has supported social awareness campaigns and legislative advocacy, contributing to the abolition of the Osu caste system in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.

“The novel has also received literary recognition, including the TYB Young Adult Literature Prize in 2024,” she added.

Umukoro further revealed that the Delta Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has approved Distortion as a recommended literature text for students.

She expressed concern over the poor condition of public libraries across the state, noting that many remain inactive or non-functional.

”Urban libraries also struggle with outdated collections, inadequate infrastructure, and limited professional staffing”, she said.

Umukoro urged stakeholders to rebuild libraries, strengthen reading communities, and equip facilities with modern learning resources.

“The three-month festival will feature competitions, workshops, creative showcases, and professional development programmes, Umukoro said.

The Permanent Secretary in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Wilson Chukwuka, commended the initiative.

The leader of the National Association of Seadogs, Mr. Michael Nwaidei, said the project aligns with efforts to encourage critical thinking and knowledge acquisition among young people.

Nwaidei was represented by a member of the association, Mr. Uche Egbuche.

The Tide’s source reports that guests, educators, creatives, and literary enthusiasts from across the state and diaspora communities attended the festival.