🌍 FENRAD Demands Justice for Nigeria’s Indigenous Communities on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

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By Newspot Nigeria News Desk

As the world marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has issued a powerful call for environmental justice in Nigeria’s oil-impacted indigenous communities, especially in the Niger Delta region.

This year’s global theme, “Defending African Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Access to Justice and Remedies,” resonated deeply with FENRAD, as the group spotlighted decades of degradation, marginalization, and neglect suffered by communities like Ogoniland, Egbema, Oloibiri, and Gbaramatu—all deeply affected by oil exploration and environmental pollution.

Speaking from the organization’s base in Abia State, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD, stated:

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“Indigenous peoples are not just victims of environmental injustice—they are stewards of the land, defenders of biodiversity, and holders of ancestral knowledge that can help drive climate resilience. On this day, we urge the government to implement full remediation of impacted sites, ensure transparency in oil revenue sharing, and strengthen the rights of indigenous people to free, prior, and informed consent.”

The foundation criticized the slow pace of implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland, and called for independent oversight of HYPREP—the federal remediation agency charged with cleaning up oil-polluted sites. FENRAD also called for the empowerment of indigenous youth through education, inclusion in policy-making, and environmental activism.

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Key Demands from FENRAD:

• ✅ Full environmental remediation of all polluted sites in the Niger Delta
• ✅ Compensation and support for displaced indigenous communities
• ✅ Legal recognition and protection of indigenous land rights
• ✅ Inclusion of indigenous youth in environmental policy formulation
• ✅ Transparency and accountability in oil revenue allocation and environmental management

FENRAD emphasized that there can be no environmental justice without indigenous justice, urging all stakeholders—including the Federal Government, oil multinationals, and civil society—to act in line with both global standards and local realities.

As the world celebrates the cultural richness and contributions of indigenous peoples today, the foundation’s message is clear: justice delayed is dignity denied.

🔗 For full transparency, the complete statement from FENRAD is republished below:

PRESS RELEASE

August 7, 2025
For Immediate Release

FENRAD Calls for Environmental Justice in Indigenous Oil-Impacted Communities

On the Occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2025

The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) joins the global community today, August 7, 2025, to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme, “Defending African Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Access to Justice and Remedies,” presents a vital opportunity to reflect on the urgent need for justice, sustainability, and inclusion in indigenous communities, particularly those suffering from decades of environmental degradation and marginalization.

In Nigeria and across the Niger Delta, indigenous communities have borne the brunt of oil exploration and exploitation. Their lands, rivers, and air have been polluted, their livelihoods destroyed, and their voices often silenced. From Ogoniland to Egbema, Oloibiri to Gbaramatu, environmental destruction continues to threaten indigenous existence, culture, and dignity.

FENRAD uses this occasion to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, oil multinationals, and relevant stakeholders to uphold the principles of environmental justice, which demand fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people—regardless of race, income, or ethnicity—in environmental policies and practices.

“Indigenous peoples are not just victims of environmental injustice—they are stewards of the land, defenders of biodiversity, and holders of ancestral knowledge that can help drive climate resilience,” said Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD. “On this day, we urge the government to implement full remediation of impacted sites, ensure transparency in oil revenue sharing, and strengthen the rights of indigenous people to free, prior, and informed consent.”

FENRAD also highlights the slow and inadequate implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland and the need for independent oversight of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP). Indigenous youth must be empowered with education, skills, and opportunities to lead environmental action and demand accountability.

FENRAD Demands:

• Full environmental remediation of all polluted sites in the Niger Delta
• Compensation and support for displaced indigenous communities
• Legal recognition and protection of indigenous land rights
• Inclusion of indigenous youth in environmental policy formulation
• Transparency and accountability in oil revenue allocation and environmental management

As the world celebrates the contributions of indigenous peoples, FENRAD reminds all stakeholders that there can be no environmental justice without indigenous justice.

Contact:
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD)
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: +234-8033383708, 07062949232
🌐 Website: www.fenrad.org.ng

📰 Newspot Nigeria.

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