Youths in Ogoniland, Rivers State, have threatened to stage widespread protests against the planned resumption of oil exploration in the area unless the Federal Government creates Bori State.

The youths, under the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI), also demanded the immediate dissolution of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, accusing its members of lacking transparency and failing to adequately represent the interests of the Ogoni people.

President of OYDI, Imeabe Saviour, made the demands in a letter dated September 8, 2026, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and made available to PUNCH Online on Tuesday.

The letter, titled “Notice of Protest Against Oil Resumption in Ogoniland Without Creation of Bori State,” was also copied to the President of the Senate, the National Security Adviser, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), among others.

Saviour said the youths were not opposed to oil exploration in principle, arguing that a properly managed resumption could contribute to economic development in Ogoniland.

However, he demanded an immediate halt to what he described as clandestine oil activities in the area while negotiations between the Federal Government and Ogoni stakeholders were still ongoing.

According to him, the creation of Bori State was the only outcome capable of adequately addressing the political and historical grievances arising from the deaths of Ogoni leaders and the environmental damage suffered by the region.

He said the sacrifices made by Ogoni people in their struggle for justice and environmental protection could not be separated from any discussion about the resumption of oil operations.

Saviour also expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government’s approach to the negotiations, alleging a lack of transparency in the process.

He cited the ongoing laying of pipelines across parts of Ogoniland as evidence of what he described as bad faith, arguing that such activities should not be taking place while discussions on oil resumption were still underway.

The OYDI leader accused the Ogoni Dialogue Committee of undermining the interests of the people and claimed that its activities could deepen divisions within the community rather than resolve longstanding grievances.

The youths subsequently called for the committee to be disbanded, saying they had lost confidence in its ability to represent their collective interests.

They criticised the committee for allegedly excluding young people from its activities and demanded that any process concerning oil resumption be made more transparent and inclusive.

The group also called on the Federal Government to adhere to the principles contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, arguing that political autonomy through the creation of Bori State should form part of any resolution to the longstanding dispute.

OYDI further warned the Federal Government and oil joint-venture partners against what it described as attempts to restart operations in Ogoniland without first addressing the demand for state creation.

The group said it would mobilise youths across the various kingdoms of Ogoniland for peaceful but large-scale protests in the coming weeks.

It warned that the protests would continue and any attempt to restart oil operations would be resisted until Bori State was created and the current dialogue process was dismantled.

The youths concluded their demand with the position: “Create Bori State, or leave our oil in the ground.”