Tension is building in Ogoniland that is capable of derailing the planned resumption of oil exploration activities in the area.
The tension is being provoked by the recent appointments made by President Tinubu to the governing board of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP)
Recall that the president, while reconstituting the HYPREP board of trustees recently, had appointed Emmanuel Deeyah as chairman of the board in place of the immediate past Chairman, Dr. Mike Nwielaghi, a development that did not go down well with some stakeholders in Ogoni.
In a letter dated August 14, 2025, signed by notable chiefs and opinion leaders in the Buan community, addressed to Tinubu, they demanded the reappointment of Nwielaghi as board chairman of HYPREP to enable him to complete the numerous projects he had initiated.
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The stakeholders also informed the president that their community has a strong voice in the oil resumption project in Ogoni, hence he should review the recent appointment
“Mr. President, it is to be further underscored that Buan community has not less than 30% stakeholders voice in the oil resumption in Ogoni being an oil producing area of Rivers State.
“Mr. President, permit us to equally say that, Nwika Deeyaah Emmanuel though from Ogoni has no immediate stake in oil production in Ogoniland.
“Moreover, he has held various positions ranging from Commissioner, member House of Assembly, member, House of Representatives Abuja, etc with no visible impacts on the lives and people of his community and Ogoni at large.
“Mr. President sir, we are strongly demanding that Chief Mike Nwielaghi be re-appointed to enable him complete the various HYPREP projects which he started in his community and Ogoniland as a whole”, they maintained.
