Ogoni leaders have expressed concerns over the resumption of oil exploration activities in some parts of Ogoniland while the dialogue process is still ongoing.
 
Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt, the President of KAGOTE, Chief Lesi Maol, said that the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) was inaugurated by the Federal Government in January 2025 with the mandate to engage the Ogoni people in good faith towards achieving a lasting resolution of the issues surrounding the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, while rebuilding trust and strengthening relations between the Ogoni people and government.
 
Maol stated that because they support the initiative and desire its success, they want the government to take note of the conduct of a few individuals “whose actions, in our view, require urgent clarification and intervention to preserve the credibility of the dialogue process.”
 
He added: “There is growing apprehension among sections of the Ogoni population that certain oil-related activities may have commenced in parts of Ogoniland while consultations between the Federal Government and Ogoni stakeholders remain ongoing.
 
“The absence of clear information from the leadership of the ODC on this matter has created uncertainty within our communities. In my capacity as President of KAGOTE, I have received several representations and expressions of concern from Ogoni communities. Unfortunately, the absence of authoritative information has made it difficult to provide the necessary clarification.

“We, therefore, respectfully request that the position regarding the status of oil activities in Ogoniland be clearly communicated to the people in order to prevent misinformation, speculation and unnecessary tension.
 
“We understand that, as part of confidence-building measures, employment opportunities were extended to Ogoni youths through NNPC.
 
“This is a commendable initiative by the Federal Government. However, concerns have arisen regarding the selection process, applicable criteria and distribution of the opportunities. Members and stakeholders have not been sufficiently informed about these matters despite requests for clarification.”
 
Maol noted that greater transparency would protect the integrity of the initiative and ensure that its benefits are seen to be fairly distributed across Ogoniland.
 
A member of the ODC, Rev. Msgr. Pius Kii, said the resumption of oil activities must not precede the resolution of the fundamental questions before Ogoni.

“I consider it necessary, at this critical juncture, to draw the attention of the Federal Government, the leadership of the ODC, the people of Ogoni and the Nigerian public to matters of urgent concern regarding the ongoing process for the resumption of oil activities in Ogoniland.
 
“I do so not in opposition to the Federal Government’s initiative, not in opposition to the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, and certainly not in opposition to the leadership being provided to the process by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
 
“On the contrary, I believe that the opportunity presently before us is historic and should be protected. My concern is the manner in which the process is being conducted and the direction in which it appears to be moving.
 
“I believe that unless some of these concerns are urgently addressed, we may inadvertently repeat some of the very mistakes that have produced mistrust, alienation and conflict in Ogoniland in the past.
 
“Let me make my position absolutely clear. I am not opposed to the resumption of oil activities in Ogoniland. I recognise that oil production has historically been an important part of Nigeria’s economic development and that the return of responsible oil activities, under an arrangement that adequately protects the interests of the Ogoni people, could provide opportunities for development, employment, infrastructure and economic empowerment.
 
“My concern has become even more urgent because negotiations are still underway while oil-related activities have already commenced in some parts of Ogoniland, and licences have reportedly been issued to certain companies before the negotiating process has been concluded.
 
“If the Ogoni people are to have meaningful participation in the economic benefits arising from the return of oil activities, such participation must be negotiated and secured as part of the process itself. Otherwise, there is a real danger that Ogoni will eventually be confronted with a fait accompli,” Kii said.
 
Also speaking, the second vice president of KAGOTE and a member of the ODC, Rear Admiral John Nicholas Bakpo (rtd), alleged that many decisions and activities of the ODC were shrouded in secrecy.
 
“For example, as a member of the committee, I do not know up till now whether the committee was funded or not. I have been in many committees during my service years but this is the first time I am taking part in a committee that has no budget or logistics for its operation,” he said.