Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A prominent Ogoni rights group has intensified calls for transparency and accountability over an alleged $300 million compensation fund reportedly released for the development and welfare of the Ogoni people — a demand that culminated in a peaceful protest in Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State. The group, known as the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), has accused political actors and past administrations of diverting the funds, deepening long-standing grievances among the Ogoni people over justice, environmental restoration, and economic marginalisation.
During the protest held on Saturday, OLI leader Douglas Fabeke addressed journalists and community members, insisting that the alleged diversion of the $300 million must be thoroughly investigated and that those responsible be held accountable. The group said decades of appeals to both state and federal authorities have failed to deliver meaningful development for the Ogoni people, despite earlier court victories and commitments of compensation tied to historic environmental and economic injustices experienced by communities in Ogoniland.
The disputed funds are linked to compensation tied to Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, a key oil asset in the Niger Delta that has been at the centre of legal and political controversy. Critics have long alleged that money intended to benefit Ogoni communities — either as reimbursement for environmental damage or as development funds — was misappropriated by politicians and officials, including a former governor of Rivers State and individuals claiming to represent Ogoni interests. The OLI’s protest placards called for “justice”, “transparency” and an end to continued oil exploration without community consent or remediation in affected areas.
Fabeke emphasised that the protest marked the beginning of an escalated strategy to project Ogoni demands beyond Nigeria’s borders if necessary. He argued that the alleged diversion of compensation funds constitutes a further injustice against a people still grappling with the environmental and humanitarian legacy of decades of oil pollution, displacement, and socio-economic neglect. The OLI also called for an end to unauthorised oil operations in Ogoni land and rejected the involvement of private oil companies in communities that continue to bear the brunt of ecological degradation.
In addition to accountability over the $300 million, protestors urged the Federal Government to take direct control of Oil Mining Lease 11 after engaging in genuine, inclusive dialogue with Ogoni stakeholders. They warned that failure to act would prompt further actions, including potential appeals to international bodies and diplomatic missions to highlight the plight of the Ogoni people on a global stage. A 14-day ultimatum was issued to any company operating in the Lekuma Ogoni communities, demanding cessation of work and removal of equipment from the area.
The issue of the $300 million compensation has surfaced repeatedly in discussions about oil-impacted communities in Ogoniland. In past years, various community organisations, including the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), have urged presidential intervention and forensic audits into the alleged mismanagement of both the compensation fund and broader environmental remediation finances. The ongoing controversy reflects deep rooted distrust and frustration among the Ogoni people toward both government authorities and the oil industry’s handling of resources connected to their ancestral land.
Analysts note that the Ogoni struggle is deeply tied to Nigeria’s broader history of resource control disputes, environmental degradation, and demands for equitable development in the Niger Delta region. While legal settlements and cleanup projects have been initiated in the past — including decades of dialogue, litigation, and international attention — many Ogoni leaders argue that promised benefits have not materialised on the ground, exacerbating grievances over compensation, livelihoods, and environmental rights.
The protests in Bori mark a renewed phase of activism aimed at compelling greater transparency and restitution for communities affected by decades of oil extraction and environmental harm. Observers say the outcome of these demands could have implications not only for Ogoni communal rights but also for how resource compensation and environmental remediation are managed across Nigeria’s oil producing regions.
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