Nigeria, June 2, 2016 – President Muhammadu Bihari today flagged off oil spill clean-up exercise in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
The exercise is expected to alleviate environmental pollution which has rendered residents powerless economically. A UNEP report exposed decades of ecological damage in the area and lies by government agencies, calling on government to lead the clean up exercise.
The President was however represented at the flag off of oil spill clean-up in Ogoniland by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
However, while the event was ongoing in Ogoniland, the President was in Abuja receiving Ministers of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), led by Executive Secretary, Mrs. Toupta Boguena, fuelling speculation that he reasigned the function for security reasons.
Speaking in Bodo, Gokana Local Government, Buhari described the event as a milestone. He recalled when he visited Bodo as Head of State to commission a large fish pond and planted a tree but that since then degradation had done huge damage to the environment.
According to him, ‘’this clean-up is evidence Ken Saro Wiwa and other sons of Ogoni who fought so hard for environmental justice didn’t fight in vain’’, he said.
