By Obiabin Onukwugha
As environmental activists across Nigeria continue to push for a cleaner environment, particularly in the Niger Delta region, discussions are now centered on the need to address the security risks faced by these activists who often put their lives on the line in the course of their duties.
Against this backdrop, an environmental organization, Access Africa for Rights and Development Initiative (Access Africa), with support from the Greengrant Fund (GGF), convened a one-day roundtable discussion for civil societies, the media, marginalized communities, and environmental defenders in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Friday, August 18, 2023.
The roundtable focused on identifying the critical role of local environmental defenders, especially women, and the risks they face in their daily efforts to protect the environment, emphasizing the need to safeguard them from such threats.
In his opening remarks, Dr. David Vareba, Executive Director of Access Africa, stated that conservation initiatives have recently come under serious attack for land grabbing and human rights violations in Ogoni and the wider Niger Delta area.
He remarked, “There is a growing evidence base that indigenous peoples and local communities in the Niger Delta, many of whom are environmental defenders, play a critical role in environmental conservation. Furthermore, oil exploration continues to pose a significant threat to environmental defenders, something the conservation community must acknowledge.”
Vareba, who also noted Access Africa’s complementary role to the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in the area and in sensitizing and training eco-defenders, pledged that the organization would continue organizing training programs to enhance the capacity of environmental defenders.
He advised eco-defenders to consistently affiliate with activist organizations in the course of their work and to consistently update and report the outcomes of their monitoring and the challenges they encounter.
He concluded that Access Africa was looking forward to advancing digital initiatives in environmental and defenders’ monitoring for wildlife and forest conservation in alignment with the UNODC’s National Strategy on Wildlife and Forest Crimes.
“By doing so, we aim to effect systemic governance change at all levels and transform the agri-food sector to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all,” he added.
In his keynote presentation titled “Environmental Defenders as First Guardians of the World’s Biodiversity,” Comrade Kentebe Ebiaridor, Programme Coordinator of Oilwatch Africa, asserted that defending nature and the environment is a noble pursuit as it forms the foundation of human life.
He remarked, “All our rights stem from environmental rights, and we lose all our rights as soon as the right to a clean environment is compromised.”
Ebiaridor also highlighted the dangers of defending the environment, noting that environmental defenders are often tracked or targeted by their communities and environmental exploiters.
“This is due to the operations of International Oil Companies. There are instances where environmental defenders face threats, torture, detention, or even death,” he stated.
However, he emphasized that defending the environment carries significant rewards, using the Ogoni cleanup, a result of the efforts of the Ogoni Martyrs, as an example.
“The ongoing cleanup in Ogoni is a direct outcome of the sacrifices made by environmental martyrs who laid down their lives for the future of our environment,” he noted.
During their contributions, some activists, particularly women, outlined the challenges they encounter in the course of their duties, including threats to their lives and a suppressive attitude toward women.
Amanie Stella, Executive Director of the Society for Women and Youths Affairs, called for security measures to protect women who assume roles in defending and preserving the environment.
She explained, “As women, we take considerable risks by going out there. We face opposition and accusations of being paid to protest. My organization was among the first to mobilize and block the HYPREP office due to water-related concerns, even during the Covid period. It was risky since gatherings were prohibited, but we rallied a group of women. HYPREP is heavily militarized. Some of the men who joined us even fled, but we stood our ground, and today, the water project is underway, which we are pleased about.”
“In our Niger Delta region, witnessing the degradation of our environment and the suffering women endure due to community issues, we persistently advocate for change. No matter how they try to silence us, we continue to raise our voices. We are now receiving support from men who stand up in our communities to address women’s issues,” she added.