The Taabaa community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State has protested its exclusion from the list of host communities for the proposed Ogoni Industrial Park, despite donating land for the project.

The community called on President Bola Tinubu, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Rivers State Government and security agencies to intervene and compel relevant authorities to recognise it as a host community.

Leaders of Taabaa said the community contributed part of the 40 hectares of land handed over to the Federal Government through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), but was omitted during the official recognition of host communities.

The Ogoni Industrial Park is one of the confidence-building measures agreed upon between the Federal Government and the Ogoni people through the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, ahead of the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.

A monarch, Chief Pyagbara Prosper Gote-Nee-uwe (Mene Asaa), who is Secretary of the Barasi-Taabaa Council of Chiefs, Elders, Community Development Committee (CDC) and youths, described the exclusion as unacceptable.

He disclosed that about 54 plots of Taabaa land were captured in the 40 hectares ceded to the Federal Government, stressing that the community had earlier raised concerns during the land survey.

According to him, the Ogoni Dialogue Committee had assured the community that it would be recognised as a host community at the point of formal handover.

“On August 21, 2025, we raised concerns and were invited by the Ogoni Dialogue Committee led by Prof. Don Baridam and Archbishop Kattey. We presented our case that part of Taabaa land was included in the survey.

“They told us not to worry and advised us to suspend any action, assuring us that we would be consulted and recognised during the official handover,” he said.
He, however, expressed surprise that the community was not mentioned during the formal process.

While reiterating support for the project, Gote-Nee-uwe insisted that the community’s contribution must be acknowledged.

“We are not against the project. It is one that will bring development to the area, but our sacrifice must be recognised.

“If we are not included as a host community, then the survey plan should be reviewed and our portion of land removed and returned to us,” he said.

Also speaking, the acting youth leader of Barasi-Taabaa, Mr Godspower Mbaedee, warned that the community would not accept the loss of its land without due recognition.

He called on relevant authorities to either include Taabaa among the host communities or return its land.