Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has announced plans to lead a legal team against multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta over decades of environmental pollution and neglect.
Falana made this known in Port Harcourt during the Ken Saro-Wiwa 30th Memorial Lecture, organised on Friday by a coalition of environmental civil society groups to mark the 84th posthumous birthday of the late environmental and human rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The event, which brought together activists, policymakers, and community leaders, renewed calls for environmental justice and accountability for the devastation caused by oil exploration in the region.
In his keynote address, Falana condemned the continued impoverishment of oil-producing communities despite their contribution to Nigeria’s economy. He vowed to pursue legal action to ensure multinational oil firms are held accountable for their actions and compelled to improve the living conditions of host communities.
“The communities that produce the oil sustaining Nigeria’s economy deserve to live comfortably, not in poverty and neglect,” Falana declared, stressing that the time had come for justice and reparations.
He also described the trial and execution of the Ogoni Nine, including Saro-Wiwa, as a miscarriage of justice and an example of state repression.
Other speakers, including environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey, urged the federal government and relevant agencies to sanction erring oil companies and prioritise the full cleanup of Ogoniland.
Civil society groups at the event reaffirmed that the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa remains a powerful symbol of resistance and advocacy for environmental restoration in the Niger Delta.
They warned that any attempt to resume oil operations in Ogoniland without a comprehensive cleanup would amount to dishonouring the sacrifices made by Saro-Wiwa and his comrades.
