On the 10th of November 1995, the Nigerian military junta headed by General Sani Abacha authorized the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. The 9 were instrumental in mobilizing Ogonis under the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), and…

On the 23rd of September, We the People partnered Tipping Point, Bertha Foundation, War on Want, the People’s Health Tribunal, and Climate Reparations to host a webinar titled “Stop Shell, Reparations for the Niger Delta.  The event centered on holding Shell accountable for decades of environmental devastation and degradation in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, dating back to…

On September 3, 2024, We the People held a townhall meeting in Ikarama community, Bayelsa State, following the release of the second episode of its podcast documenting the devastating impact of oil extraction in the community and the culpability of Shell and Agip-Eni, the operating oil companies. The gathering included community chiefs and a wide cross-section…

How credible is the claim that Shell and other oil companies are divesting because Niger Delta locals are pressuring them for handouts and destroying their equipment? In this episode of our radio documentary, we chat with experts about the myriad controversies surrounding Shell's planned divestment and how the firm is spinning a disinformation campaign to avoid…

‘Living with Oil’ examines the true cost of oil extraction in the Niger Delta and makes a case for accountability from multinational oil companies. Play video

In the last 2 decades, Nigeria has witnessed an alarming rise in state backed attempts to stifle the civic space, regulate and restrict civil society organizations, criminalize democratic dissent and suffocate freedom of assembly and expression. At the federal level, there have been at least eight legislative attempts to stifle the civic space and restrict the…

On July 23, 2024, We the People held a townhall meeting in Otuabagi community, Bayelsa State, following the release of a podcast documenting the devastating impact of oil extraction in the region and the culpability of Shell, the operating oil company. The event brought together a diverse group of community members, including community chiefs, executive committee…

On July 18, 2024, We the People and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) held a one-day training for activists and environmental Monitors in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.  The meeting with the theme  ‘From Monitoring to Resistance Eco-Defending as a Resistanace Movement’ aimed to equip civil society, media, and community members with skills to critically…

Concerned with the continued loss of forest in Cross River state, We the People on the 6 th of June, 2024, a organized a roundtable with environment and conservation stakeholders focused on developing strategies and partnerships for forest protection in the State. The meeting drew participation from government ministries and agencies including the state Forestry Commission…

In Nigeria, particularly in the ecologically sensitive Niger Delta, the threat to ecosystems is substantial and alarming. The region faces significant challenges from environmental degradation due to oil exploitation, deforestation, and land mismanagement which is significantly affecting the livelihoods and survival of local communities. As climate change intensifies, it reinforces ecological challenges communities undergo, posing a…

International oil companies Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Eni-Agip and Total Energies have identified buyers to take over their onshore oil operations in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. These companies are walking away after nearly 7 decades of reckless oil extraction that has generated hundreds of billions of dollars for their shareholders, but has left the indigenous…

The Petroleum Industry Act was passed in 2021, following more than two decades of legislative efforts to modernise Nigeria's petroleum sector legislation. A significant element of the PIA focuses on community participation and benefit sharing within the sector.While the Act provides that 3% of oil companies' operational costs will be spent on community development, other provisions…

As part of our efforts to celebrate the International Day of Forests, We the People organised a town hall meeting on March 21, 2024, in the Idundu community of Cross River state. The main objective of the meeting was to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and emphasise the need to protect this vital ecosystem…

As oil companies in Nigeria's Niger Delta divest from onshore assets and expand their deep sea extraction activities, We the People has launched a series of community engagement forums with the goal of holding the companies accountable and demanding that they clean up the mess they have created in the region. The engagements also seek responsibility…