News
HYPREP Begins Clean-Up Of Ogoni Communities …Remediates Korokoro Soil
Determined to realise its core mandate, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commenced the full implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report in Ogoniland, with the remediation of soil in Korokoro Community in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Feelers to this effect emerged, last Tuesday, when HYPREP conducted newsmen round its demonstration site in Korokoro Community where it has already started the remediation of impacted sites in the area.
While conducting journalists round Well 3 in the community, HYPREP’s Head of Communication, Mr. Isa Wasa, said the soil remediation in the community was to enable the people farm and carry out other necessary activities in their lands which had been affected by oil exploitation for several years.
He said the essence of the remediation was to show to the world that the clean-up of Ogoniland by the agency was in progress contrary to speculations that no positive work was going on in the area.
According to him, HYPREP had already entered into partnership with some companies to actualise its core mandate of cleaning up Ogoniland.
Wasa reassured that HYPREP would deliver on its mandate, and urged Ogoni people to continue to cooperate and support the agency in its bid to clean-up impacted communities in the area.
Also speaking, the Technical Director of one of the companies handling the soil remediation project, Vitruvian Global Resources, Engr. Barikor Felix said the company was working very hard to ensure that the purpose of the project was achieved.
“Our company is an indigenous company. We are in technical partnership with Shareforce LCC, an American company that has been assisting us in the demonstration exercise for HYPREP”, he said.
He further disclosed that the company had been at the demonstration site in Korokoro community for 12 days at no cost to the government and HYPREP, saying, it was basically at the site to showcase its capacity.
Felix hinted that since the arrival of the company at the site, it has been able to reduce the TPH level of the soil in the community, assuring that “with the help of our technology, we would be able to carry out underground treatment to restore the environment to a better level”.
He thanked the Paramount Ruler of Tai Kingdom, King Godwin Gininwa for the provision of security at the site and for other logistics support, which he said, had made the work of the company less cumbersome.
On his part, the Managing Director of DLK Oil & Gas Environment Resources, Engr. James Kasten said the remediation was actually in progress, as his company was effectively working with the people and other companies to achieve set target.
According to him, the necessary equipment had been deployed to improve the soil quality in the community.
“We have 1,500 cubic guard of soil we are treating,” he said.
“HYPREP has 750 but we are doing double of it. The rain is the greatest challenge we are facing. It is preventing us from getting into the excavation hole we have dug. We are applying bio-remediation in the cleaning of the soil in order to improve it”, he added.
Donatus Ebi & Amarachi Anene
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.