Fifty-one civil society organisations have collectively rejected the federal government's plans to resume oil production in Ogoniland, demanding instead a complete focus on environmental restoration. In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the groups called for the decommissioning of old wells, comprehensive cleanup of polluted land, and protection of local communities from further harm.
Coalition's Stance Against Reopening Wells
The organisations, including Oilwatch International, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Policy Alert, We The People, and Amazon Watch, expressed unequivocal opposition to any resumption of extraction activities. "We are unequivocal: Do not reopen the wells. Decommission them. Clean them up. Restore the land. Protect the people. Ogoniland has suffered enough," the statement read.
The coalition argued that Ogoniland continues to grapple with severe environmental degradation from past oil exploration. Contaminated land, polluted water bodies, and destroyed livelihoods remain unremediated despite years of efforts. They warned that approving new production before addressing the liabilities identified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) would trigger "another cycle of extraction."
Concerns Over Yorla South Oil Field
The statement followed reports that Dutchford Exploration and Production Company Limited won the bid for the Yorla South oil field in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The groups questioned the logic of initiating new production while unresolved environmental wounds persist. "How can the government contemplate new oil production in Ogoni when the environmental wounds of previous production remain unhealed? This is not development. It is a dangerous attempt to turn an unresolved disaster into a new oil frontier," they said.
They cited the 2025 oil spill in Kpean community, which hosts 14 Yorla oil wells, as evidence of ongoing risks. Crude oil escaped from a dormant wellhead in August 2025, contaminating farmlands, streams, and drinking water sources. A subsequent spill months later exacerbated the damage. Residents have yet to receive meaningful remediation, compensation, or healthcare support, according to the groups.
Demands for Moratorium and Assessments
The organisations demanded an immediate moratorium on any production resumption at Yorla South until environmental assessments and remediation are completed. Their specific demands include an independent environmental condition assessment of the oil field, full cleanup of the Kpean spill, public disclosure of the licence and ownership structure, and comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments.
They also called for meaningful consultation with host communities and a legally enforceable framework assigning responsibility for historical environmental damage. Existing infrastructure should undergo independent integrity assessments, and abandoned facilities should be decommissioned where necessary. "Community consultation must not be a ceremonial exercise conducted after decisions have already been made," the statement added.
Background of Oil Production Halt
Oil production in Ogoniland ceased in 1993 following protests led by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, which accused oil companies and the government of environmental degradation and marginalisation. The execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders in 1995 drew international condemnation.
In 2011, UNEP published a landmark assessment documenting severe hydrocarbon contamination across Ogoniland and recommended one of the world's most ambitious environmental remediation programmes. The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project began implementation in 2016, but environmental groups have criticised the slow pace of remediation and questioned tangible improvements for affected communities.
Government's Position and Coalition's Warning
The federal government has repeatedly signalled its intention to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland, claiming extensive consultations with traditional rulers and community leaders. Officials maintain that any resumption would occur only with community consent and alongside continued UNEP-recommended cleanup efforts.
The latest coalition warned that allowing fresh extraction before completing environmental restoration would reverse decades of advocacy for environmental justice. They emphasised that Ogoniland's suffering must end, and the priority should be healing the land and its people, not pursuing new oil frontiers.
