Ogoniland: Leaders slam Buhari for “violating UNEP report”

Despite what many see as good intentions on his part, President Muhammadu Buhari has come under severe criticism from the leaders of Ogoniland for violating the technical demands of theUnited Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP report.

President of the Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority OCIA, Goodluck Diigbo, stated that Buhari received the recommendations from “non-experts” made up of the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, permanent secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources, and others without recourse to the Ogonis.

Buhari on Wednesday approved several actions to fast-track the long delayed implementation of UNEP of Ogoniland.

Diigbo said that the recommendations, which were secret, and reliant on the recommendations of non-experts, were not only misguided, but, unacceptable.


“Since Buhari was part of the regime that hanged Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, for demanding for the Environmental Impact Assessment Study, the now President Buhari, should have treated with caution in trying to override the disputed UNEP Report.
“Buhari may have a good intention, but, his expressed intentions might deepen old wounds. For instance, Buhari avoided specific mention of recommendations by UNEP, including: Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority, Environmental Restoration Fund for Ogoniland, Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration and the $1 billion, considered grossly inadequate for take-off, is now missing.

“Next, we, the Ogoni people, are not aware of any Special UNEP Representative for Ogoniland. We don’t have one. Buhari’s intentions have created considerable confusion and resentment. Either, Buhari is conflicted, “tricked” by “parties” that corrupted the UNEP report or, just politics as usual.

“For three years, they’ve stood against genuine joint stakeholders’ technical review – a prerequisite for due process, stipulated by UNEP, World Bank, IMF, US and others,” Diigbo said.

He explained that “the Nigerian government agencies concerned lack qualified technical experts and resources.

“So, I started to doubt if the Executive Director of UNEP could truly be part of what Buhari intends.”
Diigbo emphasized that “Buhari can help to respect the wishes of the Ogoni people. We don’t want him to turn a conflict prevention and resolution mechanism, into conflict-making or political tool. The EIAS for Ogoniland is for Ogoniland, and not a nation-wide petroleum assessment report.”