Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) says he is forming a team of lawyers to take legal action against oil companies responsible for pollution and neglect in the Niger Delta. Falana insists that communities producing the oil that sustains Nigeria’s economy deserve to live in dignity — with access to clean water, healthcare, and education — not in poverty and environmental degradation.
According to Mediaplusng.com, Falana made this known in Port Harcourt during the Ken Saro-Wiwa 30th Memorial Lecture, organised by a coalition of environmental civil society leaders. The event marked the 84th posthumous birthday of the late activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who, along with eight others, was executed 30 years ago for alleged treason but later granted a state pardon.
The gathering brought together activists, policymakers, and community leaders who renewed calls for environmental justice and accountability in the Niger Delta. Falana accused multinational oil companies of exploiting the region’s natural resources while abandoning the people who bear the brunt of oil exploration. He vowed to use the law to compel these companies to take responsibility for cleanup and compensation.
Other speakers, including environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey, urged the government to enforce stricter penalties on defaulting oil firms and accelerate the cleanup of Ogoniland. Civil society groups at the event described the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa as a powerful reminder of the struggle for justice and environmental restoration.
As reported by Mediaplusng.com, Falana reaffirmed his commitment to pursue legal redress for the Niger Delta communities, warning that ongoing talks about resuming oil operations in Ogoniland without proper cleanup would dishonor the sacrifices of the Ogoni Nine.
Thirty years after Saro-Wiwa’s execution, the call for justice still echoes across the Niger Delta, a region rich in resources but struggling for fairness, development, and a clean environment.
