Ogoni groups demand jobs and transparency amid oil resumption

Tensions are rising in Ogoniland as oil exploration is set to resume after more than three decades of suspension. The Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) has demanded 500 job slots from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), contesting the 40 positions already allocated. OYF President-General Engr. Legborsi Yamaabana stated that while the group acknowledges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to reopen oil businesses in the region, any engagement must prioritize environmental justice and equitable benefit-sharing.

Simultaneously, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni (MOSOP) has alleged that secret drilling has already commenced in the Tai and Eleme local government areas without community consent. MOSOP described these reported operations as a “betrayal of the spirit of the dialogue process” and demanded an immediate halt to activities. The group also called for transparency regarding the 40 jobs provided by NNPC, alleging that the list may include non-locals, and requested that the names of the employed youths be made public.