Tinubu Gives NSA Nuhu Ribadu Fresh Order on Ogoniland
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for unity and reconciliation in Ogoniland after decades of unrest
- Tinubu urged the Ogoni people to close ranks, put the dark chapter behind them, and move forward as one
- Tinubu ordered the national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately initiate talks between Ogoni communities, NNPCL, and other stakeholders
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the national security adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately engage the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Ogoni people, and other relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising the modalities for the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, obtained by Legit.ng, President Tinubu issued the directive on Wednesday, September 24, following the presentation of the report by the presidential committee on the Ogoni consultations, chaired by Professor Don Baridam, at the State House in Abuja.
Source: Facebook
Governor Siminalayi of Rivers state led the Ogoni delegation to the ceremony.
Vanguard and Channels TV noted the meeting.
The president also used the occasion to confer the posthumous national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on four members of Ogoniland who died in the struggle to ensure environmental protection of their land.
They are: Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Albert Bade, Chief Samuel Orage, and Chief Theophilus Orage. In June, President Tinubu conferred national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, brutally killed by the Sani Abacha military regime.
While commending the Baridam committee for the dedication and wisdom its members demonstrated in guiding the process, the president urged the Ogoni people to close ranks and engage in dialogue, as the government will do its best to safeguard their environment.
President Tinubu said:
"We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise, we would not be here today. The federal government truly acknowledges the long suffering of the Ogoni people, and today, we declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us."
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Ribadu gets new task from Tinubu
President Tinubu also acknowledged the struggles and sacrifices made by the Ogoni people in their quest for justice and environmental protection.
He directed Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the minister of environment, and the NSA to integrate programmes into a broader dialogue and implementation process.
Tinubu said:
"Accordingly, I am directing the National Security Adviser to commence immediately the engagement between the Ogoni people and NNPCL and all relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising modalities to begin operations. We must start by addressing non-valuable assets, which are of no benefit to the community, the country, or its people."
The president assured stakeholders of the government's determination to deploy the necessary resources to address the concerns of the Ogoni people and achieve shared prosperity.
He said:
"I urge Ogoni people across the communities and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community. We have settled. This reconciliation is not an erasure of history but the commitment to write the next chapter together. I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production under an equitable tax system."
President Tinubu added that the federal government will deploy necessary resources to support the Ogoni people in their march towards shared prosperity.
Ogoni peace requires more than talks – Expert
Peace and conflict researcher, Lekan Olayiwola, has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on consultations in Ogoniland but stressed that deeper structural changes are needed to achieve lasting peace.
Speaking with Legit.ng, Olayiwola said:
“To have durable peace, we need more than consultations and reconciliation in Ogoniland. This means that we won’t just ask: How do we end the protest today? The deeper questions to ask ourselves are what would it take for Ogoni communities to no longer be structurally invisible? What does inclusion look like to the people? What future can they co-author with the state that restores dignity and justice?”
He explained that while temporary measures like compensation or dialogue may calm tensions, they are not enough:
“Resolution or reconciliation might stop agitation temporarily, say, by paying compensation or holding a dialogue. Transformation insists on changing the underlying conditions. This requires paying serious attention to environmental repair, youth livelihood opportunities, inclusion in oil governance, and public acknowledgement of historic injustice.”
On Tinubu’s decision to honour slain Ogoni activists, the researcher said the gesture carried weight but must be backed by concrete action:
“Honouring slain activists is symbolically important. But we must not stop there to avoid appearing performative. There is a need for institutional follow-through, such as transparent remediation timelines, community-led monitoring, and economic reintegration plans.”
The public-facing policy analyst noted that true progress can only come if the people are fully involved:
“Progress is possible if the Nigerian state is willing to co-author it with the people. The Ogoni people need to experience the process as participants rather than recipients of reconciliation. Conflict prevention or transformation in Ogoniland must be rooted in trust-building mechanisms that treat Ogoni grievances not as historical residue but as current realities.”
The researcher also suggested using existing frameworks to strengthen participation:
“For example, existing platforms like MOSOP and the HYPREP cleanup can be leveraged to institutionalise community co-governance, environmental justice monitoring, and youth-driven livelihood initiatives so that Ogoni voices shape the very structures that once silenced them.”
Insecurity: Analyst applauds Ribadu
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ismail Auwal, a public affairs commentator, said Ribadu's decision to show pictorial evidence of slain terrorists at a recent interactive session was “necessary”.
Auwal noted that among others, food prices and insecurity remain challenges, but a recent event in Kaduna state showed that the Tinubu administration “is a listening one and is doing its best to tackle” the problems.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a peace and conflict researcher for this report.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
