Amnesty International has urged oil companies operating in Nigeria to contribute to a well-funded environmental restoration fund to finance the comprehensive cleanup of the Niger Delta.

Isa Sanusi, the director of Amnesty International Nigeria, made the call on Tuesday in Port Harcourt during the presentation of a report titled ‘Nigeria: Lifting the Lid’.

The report examined what the organisations described as 60 years of negligent oil operations by an oil firm in the Niger Delta.

Mr Sanusi said oil companies must take responsibility for the environmental damage caused by their operations and support restoration efforts in affected communities.

He called on the government to ensure that oil firms contribute to a well-funded restoration fund to facilitate the cleanup of polluted sites to international standards.

“The contribution of a super-fund must be sufficient to fully clean up the Niger Delta to the highest international standards. We are urgently calling for the initiation of a clean-up programme to restore the Niger Delta environment,” he said.

The amnesty director also urged the government to conduct comprehensive audits of operational and decommissioned oil infrastructure belonging to fossil fuel companies. He said the findings should be made accessible to affected communities to promote transparency and accountability.

Mr Sanusi further called for studies into the human rights impacts of decades of oil pollution, particularly on residents’ health, water quality, fisheries and agriculture.

According to him, the report documents alleged failures to protect communities and the environment, which he attributed to prioritising corporate profits over human lives.

He urged residents, particularly those in oil-producing communities, to read, discuss and share the report to raise awareness and demand accountability.

“Those responsible for oil pollution and environmental degradation must be held accountable for their actions and comply with the rule of law,” he said.

Mr Sanusi also rejected attempts to place responsibility for oil pollution and environmental degradation solely on host communities. He said Amnesty International would continue to challenge such narratives and demand accountability from companies and relevant authorities.

The Amnesty director said the organisation would write to President Bola Tinubu and forward a copy of the report, urging the federal government to implement its recommendations.

(NAN)