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EDEN Flays Continuing Gas Flares, FG’s Support, Approval Of IOCs’ Divestments From Nigeria


By Edu Abade

A group of environmental activists and climate crusaders, the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) has decried Federal Government’s continued deference to International Oil Companies’ (OICs) over gas flaring, which has contributed to the environmental infractions in the Niger Delta and its tacit support and approval of their divestment plans.

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Speaking at the end of its retreat in Benin City, Edo State, it criticized Federal Government’s positive disposition to the OICs divestment plans, maintaining that the development will de-market the country, as the oil majors plan to evade responsibility for cleaning the mess they will leave behind following successful divestments from their onshore facilities.

In a communiqué signed by Chairman, Board of EDEN, Barrister Chima Williams and Secretary of the Board, Philip Jakpor, the group expressed concern over the Federal Government’s unwillingness to make the firms take full responsibility for the hazards their operations have caused the environment and livelihoods of oil host communities.

“We have noticed the speed with which oil multinationals that have operated for decades in the Niger Delta are divesting from their on-shore operations and their race to the deep waters where the federal government lacks the capacity to monitor their operations.


“Instead, the Federal Government has approved Eni’s divestment of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to Oando Plc, Equinor Nigeria Energy Company Limited’s divestment to Project Odinmin Investments Limited, TotalEnergies-Telema Energies deal and ExxonMobil’s sale of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) to Seplat Energy Plc.  Government’s support and approval of the divestments is in flagrant disregard for the rights of the people and concerns of communities impacted by the operations of the firms for environmental justice.

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“We insist that oil corporations should not be allowed to divest from the Niger Delta until it takes full responsibility for its toxic legacy of pollution. They must also decommission abandoned oil infrastructure. In a similar vein, buyers of the toxic assets of the divesting firms must be compelled to accept the liabilities of the former owners of the onshore operations,” the communiqué reads.

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EDEN demanded an immediate halt to the divestments, while pledging its readiness to give legal support to communities that are against divestment without clean-up, remediation and compensation.

 On the proposed ban on gas flaring, it commended the Anti-Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Enforcement) bill, which seeks to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, saying it was heartwarming that the bill has passed second reading at the House of Representatives.

The Bill, sponsored by Hon. Babajimi Benson seeks to also encourage the utilisation of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation. The lawmaker had on December 5, 2024 argued that the proposed law will mitigate the environmental, health and economic impacts of gas flaring and will align Nigeria’s oil and gas operations with its international climate change commitments.

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Also speaking on illegal mining of solid minerals in parts of the country, the group raised the alarm over oil spills, citing the spate of mine collapse across the country and deaths associated with solid minerals extraction.

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“In the last six months there have been no fewer than three major incidents including the Shiroro mine collapse in Niger State, which claimed about 50 lives in June 2024, the Adamawa pit collapse in which 30 miners died and the more recent incident in Plateau State where 13 young persons died.

“Our fear that the quest to expand the nation’s revenue base through solid minerals extraction would inflict fresh wounds in our communities is manifesting by the day. We have observed the impact of mining in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Zamfara and a host of other states especially, in the north where illegal mining activities have not only ruined their environment, but also their livelihoods and major sources of water for domestic use.

“The influx of foreign mining firms especially those run by Chinese nationals, is particularly worrying as their largely unmonitored activities have opened the path for insecurity and strife in host communities as well as growing cases of child sex trafficking and minors who work in mining sites. The situation is not helped by governments across the mining belt, prioritising revenue over the protection of the environment and residents of local communities.

“More disconcerting is the conflicting approaches to address the crisis. While the Mining Marshall initiative by the Federal Government is good, it still lacks the necessary ingredients to work well as it is in conflict with the work of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the proposed forest rangers being promoted by the Nigerian Senate,” it stated.

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The group proposed a uniform approach to addressing the issue of illegal mining and suggested that the Mining Marshals established by the Federal Government should work with the NSCDC and community monitors who, should periodically and without notice, visit mining sites to know whether or not the operators are operating within accepted standards.

EDEN also urged the Federal Government to explore the possibility of amending the NOSDRA Act to accommodate solid minerals under its umbrella, changing its name to reflect the modification, adding: “We restate our call for the states houses of assembly and the National Assembly to work with the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Development to take their oversight functions seriously to effectively check the illegalities around solid minerals mining in the country.

“They must also fish out the masterminds of the illegal mines if Nigeria is serious about stopping the deaths of young children forced into mining due to the poverty in their communities. Unless this is done, the communities will soon start revolting because their rights to life and sustainable environment are being violated.

“Illegal miners should be treated as economic saboteurs and when arrested, be subjected to a minimum of three years imprisonment after confiscation of operation materials found with them. We believe that in a well-regulated mining sector, host communities should be entitled to a minimum of 10 percent of all accrued funds from mining operations,” it added.



Joshua Okoria

Joshua Okoria is a Lagos based multi-skilled journalist covering the maritime industry. His ICT and graphic design skills makes him a resourceful person in any modern newsroom. He read mass communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University and has sharpened his knowledge in media practice from several other short courses. 07030562600, hubitokoria@gmail.com

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