By Wealth Oghenemaro
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as selective and unequal enforcement of laws by security agencies, particularly against communities in the Niger Delta.
Addressing journalists during a media interaction with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ughelli Correspondents’ Chapel, on Wednesday, the spokesman of PANDEF, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi, said the region has been unfairly singled out for harsh security actions, while similar illegal activities in other parts of the country are treated with leniency.
Ominimini cited the destruction of artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta, which are often accompanied by heavy military presence, and contrasted it with artisanal gold mining in other regions, which he said continues largely unhindered. According to him, the disparity reflects a troubling double standard that undermines national unity and justice.
He stressed that PANDEF was not in support of illegal activities, but maintained that laws must be applied uniformly across the country, irrespective of location or resource type. “Illegality should not be defined by region,” he said, warning that selective enforcement fuels anger and deepens the sense of exclusion among Niger Delta people.
The PANDEF spokesman also lamented the deteriorating living conditions in the oil-producing region, noting that decades of oil exploration have devastated the environment and destroyed traditional livelihoods. He said polluted rivers and infertile farmlands have pushed communities into poverty, forcing residents who once relied on fishing and farming to depend on imported frozen fish for survival.
Ominimini criticised environmental remediation efforts in the region, describing them as largely cosmetic and politically motivated. He argued that despite repeated announcements of clean-up exercises, there is little evidence of real environmental recovery on the ground.
On the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), he clarified that the commission was the product of sustained pressure and unity among Niger Delta governors and lawmakers, rather than a voluntary initiative of any single administration. He said leaders such as Chief James Ibori and Victor Attah, along with committed legislators from the region, played key roles in ensuring the establishment of the commission.
While acknowledging the shortcomings of past NDDC administrations, Obiuwevbi praised the current board under Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, noting that its adherence to the NDDC Master Plan has begun to restore confidence among stakeholders.
He called on the Federal Government and security agencies to address long-standing injustices in the Niger Delta, warning that persistent marginalisation could have far-reaching consequences.
According to him, only fairness, equity and equal treatment of all regions can guarantee lasting peace and national cohesion.
