President Bola Tinubu has assured the people of Ogoniland that his administration will prioritize peace, justice, and sustainable development in the region.

The President said this during a closed-door meeting with the leaders of Ogoniland led by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed details of the meeting in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu pledges peace, justice, development in Ogoniland.’

At the meeting, Tinubu called for unity and reconciliation, urging the Ogoni people to set aside historical grievances and work together to achieve peace, development, and a clean environment.“

We must work together with mutual trust. Go back home, do more consultations, and embrace others.“We must make this trip worthwhile by bringing peace, development, and a clean environment back to Ogoniland,” Tinubu said.

“We cannot in any way rewrite history, but we can correct some anomalies of the past going forward. We cannot heal the wounds if we continue to be angry,” he added.

Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate the negotiations as he called for inclusive consultation and mutual understanding.

The President commended the delegation for embracing the Federal Government-led dialogue and emphasised the need for collaboration, trust, and inclusiveness to resolve lingering issues in the region.

He asked ministers, the NNPCL, and the Rivers State Government to cooperate with the Office of the National Security Adviser to achieve this mandate.Tinubu told his guests, “It is a great honour for me to have this meeting, which is an opportunity to dialogue with the people of Ogoniland.

“It has been many years since your children and myself partnered to resist military dictatorship in this country. No one dreamt I would be in this chair as President, but we thank God.

“Many of your sons present here were my friends and co-travellers in the streets of Nigeria, Europe, and America. I know what to do in memory of our beloved ones so that their sacrifices will not be in vain,.

”Fubara thanked the President for his support of the Ogoni people and for welcoming an all-inclusive representation of the people to the Presidential Villa.

He said the meeting was a follow-up to an assignment the President gave him through the National Security Adviser.

Emphasising the importance of resuming oil operations in Ogoniland, the governor pledged the delegation’s commitment to adhering to the President’s instructions and providing the necessary support to achieve the government’s objectives.“

What we are doing here today is to concretise the love and respect we have for the President for being behind this meeting and for him to tell us to go back and continue the consultations with a timeline so that the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland will commence,” Fubara said.

On his part, Ribadu commended the Ogoni people for their trust in President Tinubu and for embracing dialogue as a path to meaningful progress and enduring solutions.

“Guided by Mr. President’s vision that every voice is heard and every interest is considered, my office, the DSS, the government of Rivers State and the Minister of FCT embarked on a diligent and consultative process to assemble this delegation,” Ribadu said.

He noted that the over 50-member delegation that met with the President reflected the rich diversity of Ogoni society, representing various constituencies, interests, and viewpoints.

“The presence of this delegation is a testament to the Ogoni people’s readiness to engage constructively in the pursuit of peace, justice, and sustainable development,” he noted.

A representative of the Ogoni leadership, King Festus Babari Bagia Gberesaako XIII, the Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom, expressed the community leaders’ willingness to engage in the process of finding lasting solutions to the lingering challenges in Ogoniland.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said the Federal Government aimed to conclude the Ogoni cleanup within three to four years, with half of the project completed.

The delegation included Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, Senators Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Prof. B. Fakae, among others.Also in attendance were the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of N 1.424 trillion to federal, state and local governments. The total amount is derived from the federation account revenue generated in December 2024.

The disbursement, which was made at the January 2025 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja, last Friday comprising distributable statutory revenue of N386.124 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N604.872 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N31.211 billion and Exchange Difference revenue of N402.714 billion.

According to a communiqué issued by the committee, the total gross revenue of N2.310 trillion was available in the month of December 2024, while the total deduction for cost of collection was N84.780 billion, total transfers, interventions and refunds was N801.175 billion.

According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.226 trillion was received for the month of December 2024. This was lower than the sum of N1.827 trillion received in the month of November 2024 by N600.988 billion.

Also, the gross revenue of N649.561 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in December 2024. This was higher than the N628.973 billion available in the month of November 2024 by N20.588 billion.

The communiqué stated that from the N1.424 trillion total distributable revenue, the federal government received total sum of N451.193 billion while state governments received total sum of N498.498 billion.

The local government councils received total sum of N361.754 billion and a total sum of N113.477 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.

On the N386.124 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N167.690 billion and the state governments received N85.055 billion while local government councils received N65.574 billion. The sum of N67.806 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.

“From the N604.872 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N90.731 billion, the State Governments received N302.436 billion and the Local Government Councils received N211.705 billion.

“A total sum of N4.682 billion was received by the Federal Government from the N31.211 billion Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL). The State Governments received N15.605 billion and the Local Government Councils received N10.924 billion.

“From the N402.714 billion Exchange Difference revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N188.090 billion and the State Governments received N95.402 billion. The Local Government Councils received N73.551 billion, while the sum of N45.671 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue,” the communique stated.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has pointed to the robust government-security agencies’ collaboration that has greatly helped in achieving the reassuring peace and stability enjoyed in the State.

The Governor also described such feat to divine help, insisting that without the grace of God, every human effort and strategies would have come to naught.

Governor Fubara spoke at the venue of events climaxing the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration at Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Earlier at the parade ground in Isaac Adaka Boro Park, Governor Fubara inspected the guard of honour mounted by officers of the Armed Forces and security agencies.

He also laid the wreath alongside his Deputy, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, State’s Chief Judge and Service Commanders, chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, acting chairman of the State chapter of Nigerian Legion and a representative of widows of the fallen heroes. Governor Fubara also released the pigeons to signify peace.

Governor Fubara emphasised the role every Nigerian must play in achieving enduring peace and security as they continue to support the Armed Forces and security agencies in overcoming security challenges that confront the country.

He said: “Rivers State has enjoyed significant peace and stability under this administration, a testament to the collaboration between the government and security agencies, as well as the grace of God.

“We remain vigilant and steadfast in preserving this peace and will continue to provide the necessary support to security formations in the State to ensure they can effectively discharge their duties.

“I call on every citizen to rally around our Armed Forces and work together to strengthen our national unity. We must ensure that every section of our country feels included and valued, fostering a stronger and more cohesive Nigeria.”

Governor Fubara commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his efforts in modernizing and prioritizing the welfare of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The Governor offered the assurance of his administration to remain loyal, supportive while collaborating with the Federal Government in achieving better and improved welfare for men and officers of the nation’s security agencies.

Governor Fubara noted that while Nigeria has endured the trials of civil war, it has continued to tackle the internal threats from terrorism and armed insurgency, saying, “Through it all, our Armed Forces have stood resolute defending us, keeping peace, upholding our nation’s integrity, and ensuring the survival of our beloved country.

“Even as we speak, our servicemen and women remain on the frontlines, courageously combating insurgencies and other threats to our security. Today, we gather to reflect on and celebrate the bravery of our veterans, whose dedication has safeguarded our nation’s territorial integrity and preserved its sovereignty.”

Governor Fubara said that without the heroism of these gallant servicemen and women, Nigeria would not be what it is today, either would the people enjoy the prevailing freedoms and peace that are often taken for granted.

The Governor recommitted his administration to supporting the legionnaires and families of the fallen heroes, and pledged the sum of N50million to the widows to enable them scale up their economic activities, pay rents and solve other problems of their families.

In his speech, the Acting Chairman of Nigeria Legion, Rivers State Chapter, ACC Kuu Aminkipo Promise, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for his immeasurable financial support to members of the legion, which has sustained their livelihoods and kept their wards in school.