President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with some leaders of Ogoni land in Rivers state at the presidential villa in Abuja.
The delegation includes Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state; Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory; and Magnus Abe.
Others are Lee Maeba, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Joe Poroma, Leedom Mitee, Gabriel Piidomson.
Officials of the federal government at the meeting are Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser; Femi Gbajabiamilla, chief of staff; Idris Mohammed, minister of information and national orientation; and Abubakar Momoh, minister of regional development.
Other dignitaries at the meeting include Balarabe Abbas, minister of environment; Mele Kyari, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL); and Tosin Ajayi, director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS).
While the agenda remains unclear, the discussions are believed to be related to the federal government’s reported plans to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land.
However, a source informed TheCable that the meeting focuses on developments concerning the Ogoni oil spill.
“It’s about Ogoni clean-up. It is about an update on the ogoni spill,” the source said.
Earlier in the month, Samuel Ogbuku, managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NSCDC), expressed concerns about the years of halted oil exploration in Ogoni land.
Ogbuku had urged leaders of the oil-rich community to work toward the swift resumption of oil operations in the area.
Oil exploration in Ogoni land ceased in the early 1990s due to decades of environmental damage caused by oil spills.
Some stakeholders have criticized the meeting, accusing the federal government of not conducting adequate consultations before its reported plans to resume oil exploration in the region.
A coalition of civil society organizations also demanded the allocation of “$1 trillion” from the federal government for the clean-up of the Niger Delta and compensation before operations resume.