Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has called for a community-driven security framework around oil infrastructure in Ogoniland, warning that rising spill incidents are undermining environmental recovery efforts and threatening long-term economic stability.
Speaking at a youth leaders’ meeting in Gokana Local Government Area, LGA, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described recent oil spill incidents as “very terrifying” and cautioned that continued facility vandalism and pipeline breaches could trigger a humanitarian and ecological crisis.
“Our struggle had essentially been anchored on the devastation caused by decades of pollution,” Nsuke said. “We are now seeing an increase in the rate of pollution, and it is important that we begin to consider ways of preventing them.”
Nsuke referenced a recent spill in Yorla, Khana LGA, noting that recurring incidents not only damage ecosystems but also complicate remediation programs and discourage potential investment in post-cleanup development initiatives.
Persistent spills raise insurance costs, delay environmental restoration benchmarks and weaken confidence in any future hydrocarbon or alternative energy projects in the region.
“If these spills are not checked, we will someday be faced with a major humanitarian crisis that could wipe out entire communities,” Nsuke warned. “We do not have to wait till then before we act.”
MOSOP urged Ogoni youths to collaborate with relevant authorities and industry operators, particularly Shell, to secure pipelines and wellheads.
“I would like to see community youths helping to protect our villages from devastating spills by collaborating with experts and relevant authorities on facility protection,” Nsuke said.
He also alleged that some “unscrupulous industry experts” collude with vandals, stressing the need for heightened vigilance and prompt reporting of suspicious activities to security agencies.
Beyond security, MOSOP pressed the federal government to act on the recommendations of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee report submitted through the Office of the National Security Adviser, arguing that visible policy shifts are necessary to rebuild trust.
Nsuke warned that the Ogoni people, given their history of environmental losses and political tensions, particularly during the military era, expect a new governance approach distinct from the period of active drilling that lasted over three decades.
With environmental restoration, pipeline integrity, and social stability tightly interconnected, SweetCrude Reports noted that sustainable solutions in Ogoniland will require coordinated action among host communities, operators, regulators, and security agencies, balancing ecological protection with economic recovery.
