Youths in Ogoniland, Rivers State, have warned the Federal Government that planned oil exploration activities in the area will not proceed unless Bori State is created.
The youths also demanded the immediate dissolution of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, which is currently engaging the Federal Government on the proposed resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, saying they no longer have confidence in the committee.
President of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative, Imeabe Saviour, made the position known in a letter dated September 8, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu. A copy of the letter was made available to the journalist on Tuesday.
Saviour said the youths were not against oil exploration in Ogoniland, acknowledging that its resumption could stimulate economic growth and development. However, he demanded an immediate halt to what he described as clandestine oil drilling activities in the area while negotiations with stakeholders were still ongoing.
The letter, titled “Notice of Protest Against Oil Resumption in Ogoniland Without Creation of Bori State,” was also copied to the President of the Senate, the National Security Adviser, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), among others.
The letter stated, “The leadership and entire membership of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI) hereby notifies the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Government of our intentions to embark on a statewide protest in the coming weeks against oil resumption without the creation of Bori State.
“Also, we write to make our position clear regarding the clandestine and insincere moves to resume oil operations in Ogoniland. Let it be known that we are not fundamentally opposed to economic progress or oil exploration in our land.”
Saviour argued that considering the lives lost during the long-running Ogoni struggle and the extent of environmental degradation in the region, the creation of Bori State would be a significant political response to the sacrifices made by the people.
He said, “However, the ground of Ogoniland is soaked in the blood of our heroes who died fighting for justice, equity, and the survival of our people. We cannot, and will not, allow their ultimate sacrifices to be in vain. At this stage of our struggle, the only outcome that can truly be commensurate with the lives lost and the environmental devastation suffered is the immediate creation of Bori State.
“If the Federal Government cannot grant this simple request of the Ogoni people by creating Bori State, then they must leave our oil in the ground. Again, we want to state that we have completely lost faith in the Federal Government’s approach due to a total lack of transparency in these oil resumption moves.
“A stark example of this insincerity is the ongoing laying of pipelines across Ogoniland while stakeholders are supposedly still talking.”
The OYDI president accused the Ogoni Dialogue Committee of acting in bad faith, arguing that its activities had undermined the interests of the Ogoni people and could worsen divisions in the community.
The group consequently called for the committee to be disbanded immediately.
“We, the youths, have completely lost confidence in this committee. Their operations lack transparency, they are not inclusive of the youth demography, and they do not represent our collective interests anymore. Their activities regarding oil resumption must be aborted immediately,” the youths said.
They further demanded that the Federal Government adhere to the Ogoni Bill of Rights, particularly what they described as the need for political autonomy through the creation of Bori State.
The youths warned the Federal Government and joint-venture partners against taking steps to restart oil operations without first addressing their demand for state creation.
According to the group, it plans to mobilise youths across the various Ogoni kingdoms for peaceful protests against any attempt to resume oil operations.
“We will go all out to peacefully but firmly shut down any attempt to resume oil operations until Bori State is created and the fraudulent dialogue processes are dismantled. We have chosen the path of justice for our fallen heroes. Create Bori State, or leave our oil in the ground. That is our demand,” the youths stated.
