Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has vowed to launch a legal battle against multinational oil companies responsible for polluting and abandoning their host communities in the Niger Delta.
Falana made the declaration in Port Harcourt during the Ken Saro-Wiwa 30th Memorial Lecture, held on Friday to mark the late environmentalist’s 84th posthumous birthday. The event, organized by a coalition of environmental civil society leaders, brought together activists, policymakers, and community representatives who renewed calls for environmental justice across the region.
In his keynote address, Falana condemned the persistent poverty and neglect faced by oil-producing communities, despite their contribution to Nigeria’s economy. He said it was unacceptable that the people who sustain the nation’s wealth “live in devastation while oil companies profit.”
He announced plans to assemble a team of lawyers to compel the offending companies to clean up polluted areas and provide essential infrastructure for affected communities.
Falana also described the trial and execution of the Ogoni Nine, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, as acts of “state coercion,” not justice.
Other speakers, including environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey, urged government agencies to hold defaulting oil firms accountable and to intensify the cleanup of Ogoniland before any talks on resuming oil production.
Civil society groups at the event reaffirmed that the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa remains a rallying point for justice, accountability, and environmental restoration in the Niger Delta—warning that any attempt to resume oil extraction without full remediation would dishonor his sacrifice.
