The Babbe Advancement Forum (BAF), the apex sociopolitical organisation in Babbe Kingdom, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, has condemned in strong terms the sudden collapse of the HYPREP water project in Gwara community, barely four days after its commissioning.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Elder Emmanuel Aanee, and Co-Convener, Mr. Benedict Kinakah, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the group described the incident as “shameful and tragic,” calling it a betrayal of the collective struggles and sacrifices of the Ogoni people for environmental justice and sustainable development.
BAF said the collapse raises grave questions about the quality of work executed, the integrity of materials used, and the accountability of those who supervised and implemented the project. It noted that the Ogoni people have endured decades of neglect, environmental degradation, and broken promises, and cannot continue to suffer from the failures of those entrusted with public trust.
The Forum therefore demanded that the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) immediately make public the name and address of the contractor who handled the collapsed project. According to BAF, the Ogoni people and Nigerians deserve to know who was responsible for the infrastructure that failed so soon after its commissioning.
The group also called for the setting up of a Joint Investigative Panel comprising major stakeholders from Gwara Community, the Babbe Advancement Forum, Khana Local Government Council, representatives of civil society organisations in Ogoniland, and relevant technical experts. The proposed panel, BAF said, must conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and make its findings public.
Furthermore, the Forum urged that all other 16 HYPREP-constructed water projects across Ogoniland be cordoned off and subjected to urgent technical assessments to verify their structural integrity and ensure that substandard materials were not used.
“The funds used for these projects are part of our collective patrimony, the dividends of our struggle for environmental justice and the blood of those who paid the ultimate price for the Ogoni cause,” the statement read. “We owe it to their memory and to future generations to ensure that no one sabotages these efforts through incompetence or corruption.”
BAF also appealed to security agencies to support the investigative process and prevent any interference or obstruction of justice. It urged community members to remain calm, cooperate with investigators, and provide credible information that could help uncover the truth. Reaffirming its commitment to accountability and justice, the Babbe Advancement Forum vowed to continue defending the integrity of Ogoniland’s development process. It maintained that transparency and responsibility must guide every public project executed in the name of the Ogoni people.
