The National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government, stressing that oil resumption in Ogoniland will not be tolerated without justice, equity, and the active involvement of Ogoni youths and women.
The warning was made during the National Congress of NYCOP, held on August 16, 2025, at the MOSOP Peace and Freedom Centre, Bori, to mark the 35th anniversary of the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR).
In a communiqué jointly signed by NYCOP President, Barinuazor Emmanuel, and Secretary General, Fred Mene Elijah, the group lamented that despite 35 years since the OBR was launched, Ogoni people continue to face severe environmental degradation and economic hardship.
They noted that this reality persists even though Ogoni has made significant contributions to Nigeria’s oil wealth.
The youth leaders declared that oil production on the Ogoni OML 11 asset must only resume after proper consultation with the people and with equity participation by indigenes. The communiqué added that, “the inclusion of Ogoni youths and women in every negotiation process concerning oil resumption and environmental justice is not negotiable.”
The group further stressed that excluding young people would only repeat past mistakes of marginalisation.
NYCOP also emphasised the need for sustainable development projects in Ogoniland. They acknowledged the establishment of the Federal University of Environment and Technology and the ongoing Ogoni cleanup exercise as positive steps, but insisted that more effort is required to ensure fair opportunities and social justice.
In addition, the group called on the Federal Government to decommission ageing oil facilities that have become prone to spills. Their position is in line with recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland, which advised the decommissioning of old oil infrastructure to prevent further disasters in the Niger Delta region.
The Mideekor Environmental Development Initiative also joined the call, noting that despite UNEP’s report, government authorities have yet to implement the directive.
According to the group, Ogoni has recorded over eight oil spills between January 2025 and the present date, deepening environmental damage and worsening the health and livelihoods of the people.
This demand followed a recent oil spill and fire outbreak at well 14, Yola, Kpean Community, in Ogoniland. A Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) conducted by security agencies and other stakeholders on August 13, 2025, confirmed that the spill was caused by rust and corrosion of an abandoned wellhead left unattended since 1993.
Celestine Akpobari, the team lead for the group, explained that the environmental crisis, which began last week, has now spiralled into a full-scale disaster. “The fires have continued to spread across farmlands and the fragile ecosystem, putting lives in great danger,” he said.
Meanwhile, Magnus Abe, Governing Board Chairman of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), has restated his commitment to merit-based human capital development for sustainable growth in Ogoniland.
Abe made this pledge while receiving leaders of the Abuja branch of Ogoni Beyond Oil and Politics (OBOP) at his Abuja residence.
The delegation commended Abe for what they described as his “remarkable contributions to human capital development in Ogoniland and beyond,” and assured him of their continuous support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the future of Ogoni people.