The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to launch a thorough investigation into the alleged embezzlement of $300 million (approximately ₦480 billion) earmarked for compensation and infrastructural development in Ogoniland. According to MOSOP, the funds originated from an out-of-court settlement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and were intended to address longstanding grievances resulting from decades of environmental degradation and oil-related conflict in the region.

MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke, in a statement given in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, described the alleged diversion of the funds as a severe injustice—comparing it to “genocide” against the Ogoni people and the Niger Delta. He accused certain individuals within Ogoniland, along with powerful figures in Rivers State, of misappropriating the money, thereby robbing the region of a chance for development and reconciliation.

Nsuke expressed deep disappointment over the government’s inaction, noting that despite numerous appeals from civil society and community stakeholders, there has been no move to investigate the missing funds. He stressed that the diverted resources could have been used to improve critical infrastructure such as water supply, electricity, roads, and educational facilities.

Originally skeptical of the allegations, Nsuke said he was now convinced by mounting evidence pointing to corruption and greed. He emphasized that a comprehensive probe is necessary, not just to retrieve the stolen funds but also to clear the federal government of complicity in the mismanagement.

He called for accountability and the return of the funds to their intended purpose—improving the lives of the Ogoni people and resolving a crisis that has lasted over three decades. Nsuke concluded with a passionate appeal for justice, stating that the era of silence is over and that the Ogoni people are determined to see the truth revealed and their rights upheld.