General
Foundation Rejects Ogoni, Shell Reconciliation
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation has kicked against any reconcilliation efforts between the Ogoni people and Shell, now known as Renaissance, in Nigeria.
The group in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dr Owens Wiwa, said it was “totally unaware and uninvolved” in a circulated image portraying a supposed reconciliation, insisting the event was manipulated and executed without authorisation. It described the act as a “stage-managed and fraudulent reconciliation stunt” , warning that no healing can begin without full environmental cleanup, accountability for past killings, and political reforms.
“The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation and the Wiwa family totally disclaim this stage-managed incident,” the statement read. “The tree planting was not authorised, and Zina Saro-Wiwa was tricked into attending the event by the charade’s facilitator.”
It said the individual behind the event had since been dismissed. It added that the trees planted during the photo-op “have since been uprooted,” stressing that no reconciliation of any kind exists between the Ogoni community and Shell or its successor entity, Renaissance.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ken Saro-Wiwa family and the Foundation have not had any sort of reconciliation with Shell or its new name,” it stated. “Both entities remain persona non grata in Ogoni.”
The Foundation insisted that Shell must first address decades of ecological destruction in Ogoniland.
“Shell, now renamed Renaissance, must clean up the Ogoni environment completely and must be held accountable for the killings that took place in Ogoni,” it declared, alleging the company funded military operations that led to the deaths of Ogoni activists.
While acknowledging the ongoing Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, the Foundation argued that cleanup alone is insufficient without political restructuring to give Ogonis greater control over their resources.
“The effort by HYPREP to clean up the land and rivers is a good first step,” Owens Wiwa said. “This must be complemented by a political discussion to create a Bori State for the Ogonis.”
He emphasized that autonomy remains central to any genuine reconciliation effort. “The Nigerian State at a minimum owes the Ogoni people a pathway to autonomy so that Ogonis can participate in the control of their resources,” he said.
The organisation also warned against future attempts to manipulate public perception through orchestrated visuals.
“Stage-managed photography surreptitiously propagated by agents of Shell and security operatives will not deceive the Ogoni people,” it warned. “The Ogoni will not capitulate to their decapitation and obnoxious efforts.”
The statement marks one of the strongest recent pushbacks against attempts to portray progress in the long-standing Ogoni-Shell conflict.
In September, President Bola Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately commence engagement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Ogoni leaders, and other stakeholders to finalise modalities for the long-awaited resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
In June 2025, President Tinubu conferred posthumous honours on the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists executed by the Abacha regime in 1995.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In order to aid alternative and sustainable means of livelihood amid rising food prices and growing concerns over food security in Nigeria, the Ibese Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has handed over a state-of-the-art garri and fufu processing plant to the Kajola host community in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The facility is expected to support cassava farmers and processors by improving efficiency and expanding income-generating opportunities.
According to the organisation, the project, delivered under the Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities signed in 2022, is a strategic intervention aimed at boosting agricultural value addition, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening livelihoods for rural farmers and women.
The Ibese Plant Director, Mr Ayyagari Subbaraidu, at the commissioning, said, “This project is aimed at improving cassava processing, reducing losses and creating sustainable employment for women and farmers in the community.”
He disclosed that the facility features separate garri and fufu processing units equipped with modern machinery, including a five-tonne-per-day peeling machine, hydraulic presses, frying systems, fermentation basins, solar-powered boreholes and sanitation infrastructure, adding that it will serve as a catalyst for local economic growth by enhancing productivity and supporting small-scale agribusinesses across Kajola and neighbouring communities.
The Plant Director also urged the community and the Project Governance Committee to maintain transparency in the management of the facility to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Bolu Owotomo, who was at the unveiling of the project, said it aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth through value addition and enterprise development.
The Commissioner disclosed that “over 166,000 farmers, including more than 90,000 cassava farmers, have been registered under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) to benefit from government interventions.”
He urged the community to safeguard the facility and assured residents of the continued support of the state government towards agricultural development and food security.
“This processing plant will strengthen the cassava value chain, improve product quality, create jobs and enhance food security while boosting farmers’ incomes,” the Commissioner stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has hailed the recent sanctioning of three Nigerian bureau de change (BDC) operators by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged terrorism financing.
“The Nigeria Sanctions Committee welcomes the recent inclusion of Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine BDC, and Generation BDC Limited by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“These designations follow the inclusion of Adamu and his companies as part of a broader update to the Nigeria Sanctions List approved and published on 18th June 2026,” it disclosed in a statement.
It said that the naming of the three companies and six people followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations, and inter-agency assessments, which established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected individuals and entities facilitated, financed, supported, or otherwise contributed to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and associated terrorist networks.
“The individuals and entities added to the Nigeria Sanctions List on 18th June 2026 are Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima (NLISWi.19), Muktar Muhammad Adamu (NLISWi.20), Adamu Chiroma (NLISWi.21), Ibrahim Abubakar (NLISWi.22), Abdullahi Umar Usman (NLISWi.23), Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam (NLISWi.24), Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited (NLISWe.25), Generation Currency BDC Limited (NLISWe.26), Nine to Nine BDC Limited (NLISWe.27),” the statement read in part.
The federal government reiterated its directive to all financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions to continue to comply with all sanctions obligations, including asset-freezing requirements, the filing of suspicious transaction reports, and the reporting of all relevant matches to the appropriate authorities.
The sanctions committee commended the work of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for their actions to ensure that terrorist groups are denied the resources that sustain their activities.
It stated that Nigeria remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that terrorists and their financiers find no safe haven within the country’s financial system.
The committee also said that the Federal Government would continue to work closely with domestic stakeholders and international partners to protect national security, strengthen financial integrity, and contribute to global efforts to combat terrorism and its financing.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A radio station, Wise FM, has been sealed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The premises of the broadcast media platform, located on Ogabi Street, Meiran, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, were shut by the state government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, alongside other establishments across different parts of Lagos State for alleged persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and opportunities provided for compliance.
In a statement by LASEPA, it was disclosed that the enforcement exercise was carried out in response to various environmental infractions, including noise pollution, air pollution, obstruction of official duties, and failure to comply with its directives.
As regards Wise FM, it was said that it was sealed for noise and air pollution as well as non-compliance with the Agency’s directives.
Another organisation affected, Star-View Terrace, located in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was shut down for noise pollution and non-compliance with the agency’s directives, while Premiership Suites, located at Akin Osiyemi Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, was sealed for non-compliance with the agency’s directives.
Speaking on the enforcement operation, the General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment across Lagos State.
He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations, stressing that environmental protection remains a collective duty that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
The LASEPA boss warned that the agency would continue to intensify enforcement actions against violators in order to curb environmental nuisances and protect residents from the harmful effects of pollution.
Mr Ajayi urged residents, business owners, and operators of commercial establishments to adopt environmentally responsible practices and cooperate with regulatory authorities in promoting a healthier, cleaner, and more livable Lagos.
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