Dr. Fabeke Douglas Unveils Federal Documents On Ogoni Displacement, Demands Justice

By Dormene Mbea

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), Dr. Fabeke Douglas, has revealed official federal government documents that confirm the mass displacement of Ogoni communities in the 1990s, calling for urgent justice, compensation, and the restoration of ancestral lands to their rightful owners.

Addressing journalists and stakeholders, Dr. Douglas described the development as a turning point in the Ogoni struggle, saying it was his “most joyful day on earth” after obtaining the long-awaited documents. According to him, the revelations underscore the fact that the Ogoni people’s quest for justice is rooted in truth and historical legitimacy rather than mere agitation.

The documents, he explained, show that Tai Local Government Area originally consisted of 32 communities, but today, only 21 remain officially recognised. Before the outbreak of the Ogoni crisis in the 1990s, the displaced communities alone had a combined population of 12,330 persons, who were uprooted from their homes, livelihoods, and farmlands.

He traced the turning point to April 4, 1994, when, three years after the creation of Oyigbo Local Government, the then Federal Military Government under the late General Sani Abacha displaced Ogoni communities on the southern bank of the Imo River.

The action, he said, triggered large-scale violence, killings, and destruction, with houses and farmlands completely razed. Reports from international human rights organisations at the time documented that over 30,000 Ogonis were forcibly displaced.

 “Over 30,000 Ogonis were displaced. Their blood was shed, their homes burnt, and their properties destroyed. These are not rumours; they are facts acknowledged in official documents and recorded by international observers,” Dr. Douglas stated.

Further details from the documents revealed that Ward 10 in Tai was originally Gbaken, while Oloko comprised several other communities. This, according to Dr. Douglas, serves as additional evidence of the Ogoni people’s historical and territorial rights.

He argued that any attempts to distort these facts or deny the Ogoni people their ancestral lands would amount to historical injustice and a betrayal of Nigeria’s constitutional obligation to protect indigenous populations.

“The documents prove beyond doubt that it is almost impossible to unsettle a people with a history of over 100 years. We cannot afford to let our heritage be erased,” he declared.

Dr. Douglas disclosed that letters had already been circulated to relevant authorities, including federal institutions and international partners, to ensure that the issue receives urgent attention. He also revealed that a congress would soon be convened to deliberate on the matter and chart a collective course of action for the Ogoni people.

According to him, the only just way forward is for the federal government to relocate encroaching groups with full compensation and to restore the original Ogoni communities to their rightful owners.

“If anyone is suggesting that the Ogoni people should not return to their ancestral lands, then such individuals must themselves be relocated with adequate compensation, and the federal government must create a new community for them. Justice must be seen to be done,” he insisted.

Dr. Douglas further revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been fully briefed on the findings and was expected to play a decisive role in addressing the long-standing injustice.

He, however, dismissed critics and detractors on social media, describing them as individuals who have compromised their birthright for personal gain. “Those insulting me on Facebook will not be part of the resolution of this case. They have sold their birthright, and such voices of compromise cannot decide the destiny of Ogoni people,” he said.

Reaffirming his commitment, Dr. Douglas emphasised that his stance is not motivated by bias against any ethnic or political group but by the duty to safeguard the heritage and dignity of the Ogoni nation.

He stressed that the Ogoni struggle remains one of the most documented liberation movements in Nigeria and internationally, and that surrendering ancestral lands to strangers would amount to betraying future generations. “The Ogoni struggle is well-documented. We will never relinquish our land to strangers. Our boundaries must be clearly defined, and our people must be protected. This is about defending the truth and securing the future of our children,” Dr. Douglas concluded.