At a Lesser Cost

So far, it has been all about words in the oil-rich Ogoniland where the members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) are persistently asking the Federal government, Shell and other oil firms to stop the planned oil exploration in the area. This protest has been attributed to the enormous environmental degradation in the region. A report reveals that the welfare of about 47 million Nigerians is in jeopardy due to many years of neglect and environmental degradation by oil exploration companies.

MOSOP’s vehemence is largely fuelled by the deepening level of environmental challenges and the lack of commitment in the Ogoni land cleanup. Recent reports have revealed plans for the commencement of oil exploration in the region amidst the resistance by the community members. The Federal government has mapped out a re-entry plan that it says will engage the community and assure that crude oil production is carried out responsibly. However, the people of Ogoni have continued to show total rejection of the government\’s intentions. Oil explorations were stopped in 1993 after violent protests from the community members.

A faction of MOSOP has declared to be undeterred by the deployment of 5,000 soldiers to the area in a bid to secure grounds for oil production activities. Before 2009, the Niger Delta region was a hotbed of violent militancy. Majorly fighting against the many years of gross underdevelopment in the area despite being a major revenue base, militants unleashed terror in the zone. Attacks on oil facilities, oil siphoning rackets, kidnapping and murder of personnel from oil companies operating in the region significantly punctured the nation\’s revenue pot. Violence in the six Niger Delta states cost the country a third of its oil production. This forced the Federal government to initiate the 2009 Niger Delta Amnesty programme for willing and repentant militants to forestall peace.

The amnesty programme has managed to restore relative peace in the region, but it has not been all rosy. Despite the stipends paid to ex-militants to dissuade violence, there have been periodic incidences of violent militancy in the area; from dissatisfied ex-militant factions protesting lack of payment for allowances to campaigning for and against the federal government\’s programmes and choice of leadership in the zone. Many have questioned the efficiency and sustainability of the amnesty. The ongoing show of resistance by the Ogoni people could be a risky chance of relapse to violence if not properly managed.

There is an overarching need to holistically involve stakeholders in the region before the commencement of oil exploration activities. Although the state enjoys the monopoly of violence and coercion, it should factor in the desires of its people in policy mapping and implementation. Adequate stakeholders engagement will help to avoid looming bloodbath and ensure the support and collaboration of community members in the region. It will be at a lesser cost to factor-in the protests of host communities in the intended oil exploration than to go all out in arms. 

Due to the continuous oil theft and vandalisation of oil facilities, advocacies have been to incorporate community members into the securitisation strategies of oil facilities. If oil exploration continues without due cognisance of the agitation of host communities, cases of violence, oil facilities vandalism are far from over.