News
AVERTING A LOOMING ANARCHY IN THE NORTH: 12 POORLY UTILISED OPPORTUNITIES AND 8 INSIDIOUS DANGERS, IN ROUGH MAGNITUDES.
AVERTING A LOOMING ANARCHY IN THE NORTH: 12 POORLY UTILISED OPPORTUNITIES AND 8 INSIDIOUS DANGERS, IN ROUGH MAGNITUDES.
By: A G ABUBAKAR
For decades, the headlines and “word-of- mouth” kept screaming about the growing insecurity and deprivation in the North with greater frequency and intensity. However, the first instinct of some less discerning individuals was to dismiss such as propaganda or conspiracy against the region. The stark reality has now become too apparent. It is an open secret that the Northern Region of the country is grappling with existential challenges ranging from insecurity, high incidence of poverty to fractured unity.
Challenges that have literally compromised the region’s internal fabrics, with high spill over possibilities. As a matter of urgency, the sanctity of life and security of property, should be enforced to forestall the complete breakdown of peace and order. The Federal government should lead the revival process before it is too late. The North must be rescued if the Nigeria should survive. The opportunities, past and present, are there to be brought to bear.
The Opportunities in no Particular Order;
1. Massive Land Mass: The North occupies over 74 % of Nigeria’s landmass of 923.7 thousand square kilometres that spread across the Sub-Saharan Sahel, the savannah grassland and woodland zones. Zones that support the cultivation of both cash and food crops. Same for livestock and fishery production.
2. Huge Population: Deriving from the 2006 census figure of 140 million, the projected Nigeria population in 2023 was 220 million people. Northern Nigeria accounts for about 51% (112.2million). A figure more than the combined population of Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Ivory Coast put together. This represents a huge market capable or of supporting varied range of industrial ventures. Above all the region is enormously endowed with solid mineral resources and even crude oil.
3. Elaborate Administrative Setup: Nineteen states currently constitute the North. Nineteen governors call the shots along with nineteen Assemblies to collectively undertake the developmental needs of the people. It’s like bringing governance closer to the people. No defunct region in Nigeria has this elaborate number of sub polities.
4. Highly Productive Agricultural Land: Seventy percent of the 70 million hectares of agricultural land is domiciled in the North according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO,2022). Agriculture as it were is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy employing 70% of the labour force and also contributing 30-35% (average) to the national GDP annually (A Brief History Of the ACF, 2010). The FAO also credited Nigeria with being the world’s largest, (number 1) producer of yam, cowpea, cassava, sorghum, peanut and millet (4th), sesame (4th), maize (14th) and tomato 14th.The region actually used to be the nation’s foremost Agro allied industrial hub of the nation. Revenue contribution from the Northern agricultural sector to then Federal government was said to be largely instrumental in developing the nation’s oil industry. Records from the Colonial Administration showed that between 1914 to the dawn of independence in 1960, the Northern Provinces contributed more than twice their Southern counterpart Provinces to tie national revenue.
The said contribution totalled about £18 million compared with about £8m (ACF, pp 203, 2010) on the strength of agriculture and solid minerals. Incidentally, that was during the period which oil exploration in the South was being funded in earnest, preceeding the oil boom era of 1960-70.
5. Iconic Rivers: Two great rivers, Niger and Benue and 7 out of 12 river basins namely Lower Niger, Upper Niger, Lower Benue, Upper Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Hadeja-Jamaare, and the Lake Chad, traversed the region supporting farming and fishing all year round. Same with dry season farming along the river banks, tributaries and associated dams like the Tiga, Alau, Biu (abandoned for long), Dadin Kowa, Gubi, Bakalori, Challawa, Tiga etc, facilitating massive vegetable and fruits cultivation.
6. Great Lake: One of the largest inland water bodies in Africa, the Lake Chad has a substantial part of it belonging to Nigeria. Under the moribund Lake Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA), Nigeria became one of largest producers of wheat and rice. The lake equally supported fishery that made the “Maiduguri fish” (banda) a premium product locally and internationally. At its height the Lake Chad covers 1,350 sq kms of water. And during the 80s the Basin’s wheat production averaged 10,000 tons according to records. Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kebbi also have the same potential.
7. Extentive Boarder Economy: The North shares international boarders with 4 countries namely; Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republics with huge potential for cross-boarder trade. Being an agriculturally rich region, the North has been a major exporter of food, textiles and precious stones (gold) to some East/Central African countries and the Middle East. Gold and gemstones mined in parts of the North (Zamfara, Mambila (Taraba), Gunda (Borno) etc) are being exported to Europe and even China.
8. Massive Livestock Base: Raising livestock is only second to arable farming in Northern Nigeria. With large population of nomad’s the livestock sector remains the major producer of meat and hides. Together, with the rearing of domestic animals like sheep, goats, pigs, etc the region has been responsible for the nation’s self sufficiency in animal protein. Of the over 156 million cattle in Nigeria, 90 % are raised by pastoralists in the North. According to FAO in Nigeria, 69% of households in North Western Nigeria, raise domestic animals.
9. Enormous History of Greatness: Though ethnically diverse the North as a whole has enormous history of running empires and political organisations. The popular ones being the Nok culture, Kwararrafa empire, the Kanem-Borno and the various Hausa City states. The Kwararrafa, Kanem-Borno and the 18th Sokoto Caliphate stood out as bastion of statesmanship and scholarship to draw inspiration from.
10. National Defence and Security Hub: Northern Nigeria has been home to the largest military, police and allied security installations in the county. It houses the NDA (Kaduna) Staff College (Jaji-Kaduna) Ministry School (Zaria) Police Academy (Wudil-Kano) Police Colleges (Kaduna, Jos and Maiduguri etc) Prison (Correctional) Training School (Kaduna), Nigeria Airforce Command Schools (Jos & Kaduna) Airforce Training Base School (Kaduna, Makurdi) NIPSS (Kuru-Jos) National Defence College (Abuja), Nigeria Army University, Biu, and the Airforce University in Bauchi state among others.
11. Occupied The Seat Of Power The Most: The North produced 10 out of the 15 leaders that ruled Nigeria for about 48 years out of 63 years viz, Balewa 6, Gowon 9, Murtala 1, Shagari 4, Buhari (1) 3, Abacha 6, Abdussalami 1, Yar’adua 2, Buhari (2) 8, approximately. The security architecture of the nation comprising the Military, Police, Intelligence and related services were largely dominated by the North.
12. Seat of the National Capital: Abuja, the national capital, is located in the North. Aside providing easy access to the seat of government, the city offers great opportunities for Northerners. People who ordinarily would find it difficult to travel to Lagos, the former capital. Befitting infrastructure too has followed the City just as more are developed aside impacting neighbouring States of Kogi, Niger,Kaduna, Nasarawa positively.
How has the North fared socioeconomic wise so far? The answer is, not far, going by the region’s development indices. Indices like poverty, unemployment, financial muscle, access to western education and health care, security and peace etc. So sad the economic disposition of the region shows that the 2020/21 internally generated revenue (IGR) of Lagos state figure of N418.950 billion surpassed the combined total N385.182 for the 19 states in the North!
The Insidious Challenges/Triggers.
1. Rising Dehumanising Poverty: In the year 2022 the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) gave the national poverty figure of 65% while the World Bank in indicated a lesser one. Going by the rule of thumb the NBS survey looks more credible. The NBS rate translated into 133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty using the estimated national population figure as at the time, the North is home to 65%.
Eight (8) Northern States constitute the top 10. Bayelsa and Ebonyi completed the number. In numerical terms 65% (86m) of 133 are living in the North, spread across Sokoto 90.5%, Gombe 86.2% Jigawa 84.3%, Plateau 84.0%, Yobe 83.5%, Jebbi 82.2%, Taraba 79.4% and Zamfara 78.0%. The average for this group stood at 93.25%; a disposition that is almost similar to what obtains in the remaining states, notwithstanding the enormous resource endowments and the existence of many dollar-based multimillionaires/ billionaires (Forbes list) in the North. As things are, it would seem, the North has become the face of material poverty in Nigeria.
2. Scary Level of Youth Unemployment: In 2022, the NBS during the FG inauguration of a “Technical Committee on Youth Unemployment and Skills Development” put the rate of youth joblessness at 53.4%. Northern youth were in majority by almost 70%. For, earlier in 2020 the statistics showed 8 Northern States made the top 10 facing joblessness crisis. They include Benue Zamfara, Jigawa, Taraba, Gombe, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Bauchi. The southern states of Ebonyi and Bayelsa completed the number.
The army of the jobless youth are therefore largely Northerners with attended problems of restiveness and disillusionment.
The North must have certainly influenced the ranking of Nigeria low on the globally acknowledged Hanke’s Misery Index, 2020 computed on the unemployment and poverty levels among others. Nigeria placed 19th among the top twenty miserable countries of the World.
3. BreedingThe Next Generation of The Poor: Of the estimated 10.5 primary school-going age, over 70 % is in the northern states, especially the NE and NW zones. A lot of those who do attend equally drop out along the way bringing net completion to 53% for boys and 47% for girls according to UNICEF in 2020. Dropping out of school at this vulnerable age tend to render the youth veritable tools for mischief and national insecurity. No thanks to cultural and religious factors, endemic poverty and enlightenment challenges.
The “clash of cultures” between Western education and inclination towards Islamic education is something yet to be resolved in parts of the North with far reaching negative consequences on peace and development in the region.
4. Growing Army of Poorly “Schooled” Preachers: The poorly moderated open religious preaching and sermons continues to undermine peace and harmony in the North. A lot of Muslim Clerics are ill equipped in the art and methodology of theological sermon.
Some simply lack exposure and capacity, they therefore resort to inflammatory sermons or supporting the mundane just to be noticed. Else, how could some of them undertake the holy Pilgrimage to the Holy land (s), where begging was non-existent but return home to preach the virtues of same, as if those over there were less knowledgeable? The same group could also have been uniformed security agents manning holy sites/places, yet they come home to discourage enlistment into uniform outfits.
Many too, are enamoured by how portable and organised Middle East families are. A kind of family set up done with parental guidance as prescribed by the religion. Commendable as it is, the Nigerian cleric would still promote unbridled procreation even when the caring capacity as obligated is absent. Not even emulating the Prophet’s virtues of hard work and self help) as he mends his clothes, cleans his environment, helps his spouses, plays with his kids, practices commerce, lead wars etc, according to various authentic ahadith. The late Sardauna Ahmadu Bello also addressed the virtues of hard work in his book “Work and Worship”. The examples set by the Prophet of Islam and the call by the revered Sardauna do not seem to have made an impression on the Muslim North any longer.
5. Dwindling Financial Inclusion And Investment Capacity: There are about 33 major commercial banks currently operating in Nigeria. The top 10 includes, Access, FCMB, FBN, Fidelity, Zenith, Polaris, Union and UBA. The North doesn’t own any except may be the Polaris which is also under some reconsideration. The other with northern tilt is the budding Ja’iz bank. In all these financial institutions northern investors may have substantial equities but not up to management control level. A similar scenario obtains in the insurance sector where the only, northern Leadway, still stands. The negative consequences on the Northern economy are certainly too obvious.
6. Growing Too Little Future Manpower: The current number of universities in Nigeria according to the NUC is 264. They comprise federal, state and private ones. of this number, about 114 are located in the North; less than 50%. Some of them in the North are actually owned by persons outside the region. Sizes of enrolments too follow ownership patterns, which put Northern candidates at disadvantage. This may not be unconnected to the number of applicants who normally qualify from the region seeking admissions.
7. Token Presence in Competitive Activities: In sports, especially soccer Northern youth are marginally involved despite the fact that the game has large following in the region. With a population of about 130 million the North has more than the combined figures of Cameroon 27m, Ghana 33m, Mali 22, Ivory Coast 22, Senegal 17, Cape Verde .5m and Guinea Bisau 2million. They are all great footballing nations, some appearing in FIFA World Cup, a couple of times. Northern Nigerian players hardly get reasonably included in Nigeria’s national teams. Out of the 22 players, not more than 4 or 5 have been part of successive squads due maybe to poor sports development in the region.
8. A Growing Killing Field Where Life Means Nothing: The myriads of socioeconomic challenges facing the North has invariably rendered the region vulnerable to all sorts of crisis from Islamic insurgency, armed banditry, terrorism and industry-level kidnappings for ransom. The epicentre of the insecurities strangely nabla (inverted triangle) in dimensions. Borno/Yobe on the NE, Sokoto/Zamfara far NW and at the vector, Plateau/Benue in the NC region. The North is literally locked completely in wanton destruction of lives and properties, needlessly. In Plateau State according to the government’s Peace Building Agency over 70 social convulsions including violent crisis took place in the state between 1994-2021, consuming thousands of innocent lives. The Boko Haram/ISWAP in the NE, is estimated to have killed over 30,000 and displaced over 2 million people. Containing the insurgency too, has cost the government over N6 trillion six years back according to the Institute of Security Studies (ISS,2017). And will take more than that to rebuild the region. Besides the insurgency is still not abating in the North East. States on the North Western flank have been in grip of deadly armed banditry and abductions for more than a decade now.
Parts of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi have been under terrorist’s control. In Zamfara alone more than 3,000 souls have been lost to the crisis and 300,000 internally displaced according to former governor Abubakar Yari. A recent UN report on “Mapping the potentials of transitional Justice in Katsina State” identified 24 terrorists’ cells, housing 2,295 bandits that have been running campaign terror with impunity across the state. Similar scenarios obtain in neighbouring Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and Kaduna states. The North is under existential challenge and something needs to be done urgently to forestall imminent anarchy.
A Clarion Call on President Tinubu.
The Federal government under PBAT as a matter of urgency should facilitate the convention of a “Security and Economic Summit for the Northern Region” under the auspices of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF), the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), The Arewa, the Security Agencies and other interest groups. Attendance by old and serving State Governors, Ministers, Captains of Industry, Northern intellectuals/academics, top politicians, the Clergy, and youth leaders of Northern extraction should be made near compulsory. The Governors should have no excuse. Their deputies should man the tuff for the few days. The Summit should be tasked with the development of a realistic and time bound “Roadmap to Rescue the North” before she pulls the entire nation down.
By: A. G. Abubakar
agbarewa@gmail.com
UN Agencies Drum Support for Adequate Investment in MSMEs
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations (UN) agencies in Nigeria have hammered on the need for adequate investment in the development of Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to advance economic growth in the country.
The agencies disclosed this during the commemoration ceremony of the 2025 MSMEs Day on Monday in Abuja.
The event was jointly organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Director, UNIDO Sub-regional Office, Abuja, Mr. Philbert Johnson, who was represented by National Programme Officer at UNIDO, Mr. Reuben Bamidele,, said that MSMEs role in nation building cannot be underestimated, therefore the need for adequate investment to ensure their sustainable growth is of uppermost importance.
Johnson said: “We are gathered together today to discuss proper ways to promote innovation and growth within the MSMEs sector.
“In Nigeria, as we know not less than 40million MSMEs are making huge contribution to the economic growth of the country, by providing employment and serving as means of livelihood for people.
“MSMEs, thereby, contribute to the growth of Gross Domestic Products across sectors of the country’s economy. We gathered to dissect the challenges MSMEs face and also, to work closely together towards achieving sustainable growth.”
The ILO Country Representative, Dr Vanessa Phala, stressed the need for strategic measures to be taken to bolster MSMEs impact on the nation’s economy.
Phala, who was represented by ILO’s National Project Coordinator for the Social Dimension of Ecological Transition, Stephen Agugua, said: “We look at how MSMEs can drive the future of the economy through job creation and employment. When you think of job creation and employment that is where ILO comes in.
“MSMEs are key to the growth of every economic sphere: Through this dialogue platform ILO will know the challenges MSMEs are facing and look at pathways for ensuring sustainable solutions collectively.”
The UNDP Deputy-Director, Ms Varsha Redkar-Palepu, represented the National Programme Specialist and Trade Focal Point at UNDP by Claire Henshaw,, described MSMEs as pivotal to nation building.
She noted that MSMEs form the foundation of inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria, “MSMEs are vital engines for job creation, innovation and social mobilisation, particularly for women and youths. While operating on margins of formal economic systems, we need to put MSMEs at the centre of our development.
“In Nigeria and across Africa, MSMEs holds the key to transforming economic opportunities to meaningful development and the ambition into tangible outcomes,” Phala said.
On his part, Managing-Director of Prohealth, a private organisation, Dr Chinedu Nnabuihe who spoke on behalf of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), commended the UN agencies for putting the event together.
According to him, the event is dedicated to the invaluable role MSMEs play in advancing innovation, creating jobs, increasing inclusive and sustainable economic growth across the country.
“In Nigeria, MSMEs are the engine of our economy, driving local production, supporting livelihood and contributing significantly to national GDPs. This is amidst challenges posed by economic situation, limited access to finance and infrastructure.
“Nigeria MSMEs have continued to demonstrate resilience, creativity and determination. At NECA we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering an enabling environment in supporting MSMEs development,” Nnabuihe said.
The event attracted stakeholders from Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMEDAN), Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nigeria Association of of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Others include, National Insurance Commission (NICOM), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
Highpoint of the event was visit by the stakeholders to the exhibition stand of MSMEs, overview of UNDP engagement with MSMEs, government agencies’ engagement with MSMEs and WIP-intellectual property for MSMEs.
End
NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission
By: Michael Mike
The Commission of the African Union has said the formulation of new action plan on drug control and crime prevention on the African continent would not be complete without inputs from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) because of its central role in law enforcement on the continent.
The AU Commission stated this on Monday during an assessment visit to the NDLEA’s National Headquarters in Abuja by a three-member delegation including the team lead Dr. Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Dr. Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer; and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.
The visit was to evaluate the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019-2025).
Akinola said: “We are here to understand the status of implementation of this continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention. We are in the process of re-evaluating and starting another continental action plan that will take us from 2026 to 2030. So, we have identified a few countries to understand how this action plan was actually implemented in the member states. And if there are gaps and the new and current emerging trends that we can include.
“So, we understand very well the work of NDLEA and we believe that the formulation of the new action plan will not be finalized and concluded until we have inputs from NDLEA Nigeria, because you are basically on the forefront when it comes to law enforcement on the entire continent.”
The AU Commission delegation commended the NDLEA for its sustained provision of critical and policy-relevant data, which has significantly informed and shaped the work of the Commission over the years. The visit, according to the delegation, aimed to obtain a comprehensive update on the current status of implementation of national drug control strategies, identify operational and institutional gaps, and explor#####eiiii#ehue#pp7l#######el#e7l77#e7l7#wlAfrican##wle potential areas for technical assistance, particularly in relation to capacity development, forensic science capabilities, canine detection units, and other strategic enablers of drug control efforts.
Welcoming the delegation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), emphasized the importance of the mission, stating that he considered it imperative to receive the team personally due to the strategic relevance of their engagement.
He said: “We are particularly pleased that the African Union is giving due weight to the implementation of the continental action plan, not merely as a theoretical exercise, but by undertaking direct field consultations with national counterparts. This grounded, evidence-informed approach will undoubtedly result in a more pragmatic and responsive framework for implementation.”
Marwa highlighted the urgency of addressing the continent’s growing drug challenge, adding that while global projections estimate a 10–11% rise in drug use prevalence, Africa is expected to experience a surge of up to 40%. “This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action. We deeply appreciate the AU’s leadership in this space and commend your proactive efforts,” he added.
NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission
Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains
By: Michael Mike
The people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State has explained why a case was instituted against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
A landmark legal action had been instituted by His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom, and the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, against SPDC, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa on June 20, 2024, with the full hearing scheduled to begin on July 22, 2025.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, a conglomerate of civil society organisations, including the International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and Just Transition in the Niger Delta (IWG), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Social Action Nigeria, and legal advocates said that are united in a common cause to demand justice for oil and gas bearing communities of the Niger Delta, who have endured over six decades of pollution, exploitation, and neglect.
They explained that the plaintiffs, led by HRM King Dakolo, are seeking a judicial declaration that Shell’s purported divestment from onshore assets in the Niger Delta violates Nigerian law, including the Petroleum Industry Act (2021) and relevant constitutional provisions protecting the right to life, human dignity, and the right to a clean and healthy environment.
They disclosed that among the key claims made in the suit are: That Shell and its corporate affiliates have caused catastrophic environmental damage, destroyed livelihoods, and harmed the health of community members through unremediated oil spills, gas flaring, and the abandonment of toxic infrastructure in the Gbarain oil fields, located within the Ekpetiama Kingdom; That Shell’s proposed sale of its 30% stake in SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd. and other buyers is being conducted without fulfilling its legal obligations to decommission facilities, restore impacted sites, and compensate affected communities.
Also, that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other state actors have failed in their statutory duties to protect host communities, and instead facilitated a divestment process that shifts environmental and financial liabilities onto the Nigerian state and its people, rather than making the polluter to pay.
The plaintiffs are asking the court for: A declaration that the divestment is unlawful;
An injunction restraining Shell and its successors from finalising the transaction until legal obligations are met; An order compelling the government and regulatory agencies to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities to uphold environmental and human rights.
On his part, the Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey said: “The Niger Delta has long been a brutalised sacrifice zone for fossil fuel colonialism. For more than seventy years, transnational oil companies, led by Shell, have extracted wealth from our lands and waters, leaving behind poisoned creeks, flaring skies, and broken lives.
“Ekpetiama is one of many communities that have become crime scenes of ecological warfare. This lawsuit is not simply about a community asserting its rights—it is about resisting annihilation.”
He added that: “At Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), we hold that true justice must begin with the recognition that the environment is not a passive backdrop. It is life itself. A just transition must therefore start with healing the wounds of exploitation, ensuring that polluters do not run away but pay up, clean up, and restore what they have destroyed.
“The findings of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) make the situation painfully clear: Shell’s legacy is one of death zones, toxic exposure, loss of livelihoods, and denial of dignity. That is why we stand in unwavering solidarity with His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo and the people of Ekpetiama.
“We call on the Nigerian state and the international community to reject Shell’s attempts to escape justice and to affirm that environmental crimes must be met with uncompromising accountability.”
King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom; Chair, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, in his assertion, said: “This case is not just about me or my kingdom. It is about justice for the entire Niger Delta. But allow me to speak from personal experience: the gas flares from the Gbarain Gas Plant blaze day and night just outside my window. I live with the constant light that has obliterated the night, the noise, and the poison in the air. My people drink from polluted streams and farmlands laced with crude. Our children breathe soot. Our people now suffer from cancers and unexplained diseases that were unknown before oil came.
“We have been treated as collateral damage in the ruthless pursuit of oil wealth. Our lands are poisoned, our rivers destroyed, and our people silenced. The realities have been documented in the report of international experts who were part of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC).”
He noted that the Commission revealed that: Bayelsa State suffers from some of the worst oil pollution levels in the world, resulting from the operations of Shell and other international oil companies; Over 1.5 million people in Bayelsa are impacted by hydrocarbon pollution; Communities have been exposed to Chromium, benzene and other cancer-causing chemicals far exceeding World Health Organization safety limits; Oil spills have contaminated nearly all primary water sources, forcing residents to rely on visibly polluted creeks and ponds;
It also showed that soil samples revealed extremely high levels of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), rendering lands unfit for agriculture; Air quality measurements near Shell facilities recorded particulate matter and soot far above permissible health thresholds; In some communities, fish stocks have declined by over 70%, impacting food security and livelihoods; Shell and other oil companies have failed to carry out proper decommissioning and cleanup, leaving rusting, leaking pipelines and abandoned wellheads that continue to pollute;Environmental justice for victims continues to be a mirage, as mechanisms for legal redress fail to hold Shell and other oil companies accountable for the environmental genocide meted out on the people of Bayelsa.
The paramount ruler lamented that: “Shell operated in my kingdom with reckless disregard for life, law, and legacy. Now they want to walk away, sell off their assets, and evade responsibility. We say no. We demand justice. This lawsuit is a cry for recognition, reparation, and restoration.
We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, international observers, and justice-seeking people everywhere to follow this case closely. Let Shell know: the Niger Delta is not for sale.”
The Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs, Chuks Uguru, said: “We have commenced legal action against SPDC, Shell Corporation, Renaissance Group, and federal agents over the unlawful divestment of oil assets in Ekpetiama Kingdom. Shell seeks to relinquish its assets and exit its decades-long operations in the region without addressing its environmental liabilities, in violation of Nigerian environmental laws and international standards.
“The right to a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Communities have endured loss of livelihoods, health impacts, and irreversible ecological damage.
“This suit demands that the divestment process be halted until full environmental remediation, decommissioning of obsolete infrastructure, and compensation to affected communities are carried out. We trust that the Federal High Court will act to uphold justice, enforce the rule of law, and protect the rights of the people of Ekpetiama and the entire Niger Delta.”
The Programme Manager, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action Nigeria), Dr. Prince Edegbuo, on his part said: “For nearly two decades, Social Action Nigeria has worked closely with frontline communities in the Niger Delta to expose systemic environmental and social injustices perpetrated by multinational oil companies. The story of the Ekpetiama Kingdom is emblematic of the broader experience of communities across the region whose lands have been sacrificed on the altar of fossil fuel extraction.
“In this case, we see an opportunity to shift the narrative away from impunity and denial toward accountability, redress, and repair. We must redefine what energy transition means for those who have borne the costs of extraction.
“Social Action Nigeria is proud to stand with the Ekpetiama people and other impacted communities. We support their legal challenge and broader struggle for recognition and restitution. Nigeria must rise above capture by vested interest. Our systems of justice and governance must serve the people, not just a few corporate profiteers and their enablers.
“We urge the judiciary, civil society, and the broader public to view this case as a watershed moment. Let it mark the beginning of an era where the lived condition of Nigerian citizens matter.”
Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains
UN Agencies Drum Support for Adequate Investment in MSMEs
NDLEA is Central to Africa’s Action Plan on Drug Control, Crime Prevention- AU Commission
Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions3 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions1 year agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics3 weeks ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
