Ogoni youths oppose oil resumption without state creation

Youths of Ogoniland in Rivers State have declared that the planned resumption of oil exploration in the area will not happen unless the Federal Government creates Bori State.

The youths also called for the immediate dissolution of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, which is currently holding talks with the Federal Government on the return of oil exploration to Ogoniland, saying they had lost confidence in the committee.

The President of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative, Imeabe Saviour, stated this in a letter dated September 8, 2026, addressed to President Bola Tinubu, a copy of which was made available to The PUNCH by email on Tuesday.

Saviour said the youths were not opposed to the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, which he said could promote economic growth and development, but demanded an immediate halt to what he described as clandestine oil drilling activities in the area while negotiations were ongoing.

The letter, titled ‘Notice of Protest Against Oil Resumption in Ogoniland Without Creation of Bori State’, was also copied to the President of the Senate, the National Security Adviser, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), among others.

The letter read, “The leadership and entire membership of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI) hereby notifies the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Government of our intention to embark on a statewide protest in the coming weeks against oil resumption without the creation of Bori State.

“Also, we write to make our position clear regarding the clandestine and insincere moves to resume oil operations in Ogoniland.

“Let it be known that we are not fundamentally opposed to economic progress or oil exploration in our land.”

While noting that a generation of Ogoni leaders had died during the crisis that rocked the area, he said a major step commensurate with the lives lost and environmental devastation suffered by the people would be the creation of Bori State.

The letter continued, “At this stage of our struggle, the only outcome that can truly be commensurate with the lives lost and the environmental devastation suffered is the immediate creation of Bori State.

“If the Federal Government cannot grant this simple request of the Ogoni people by creating Bori State, then they must leave our oil in the ground.

“Again, we want to state that we have completely lost faith in the Federal Government’s approach due to a total lack of transparency in these oil resumption moves.

“A stark example of this insincerity is the ongoing laying of pipelines across Ogoniland while stakeholders are supposedly still talking.”

The OYDI president said the activities of the Dialogue Committee amounted to bad faith and undermined the Ogoni people, adding that the process was designed to exploit them and deepen divisions rather than address years of suffering.

Consequently, the group demanded the immediate disbandment of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee.

“We, the youths, have completely lost confidence in this committee. Their operations lack transparency, they are not inclusive of the youth demography, and they do not represent our collective interests anymore. Their activities regarding oil resumption must be aborted immediately,” the letter stated.

The group also demanded adherence to the Ogoni Bill of Rights, saying the Federal Government must respect what it described as the foundational terms of the struggle, including political autonomy through the creation of Bori State.

“Finally, we warn the Federal Government and all joint-venture partners to cease all clandestine moves to force oil operations back into Ogoniland without addressing our core demand for state creation.

“In the coming days, OYDI will fully mobilise Ogoni youths across all kingdoms for massive, widespread protests.

“We will go all out to peacefully but firmly shut down any attempt to resume oil operations until Bori State is created and the fraudulent dialogue processes are dismantled.

“We have chosen the path of justice for our fallen heroes. Create Bori State, or leave our oil in the ground. That is our demand,” the youths added.