FENRAD demands environmental justice for Indigenous Peoples on International Day

Stanley Ihedigbo

Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) joined the global community to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

This year’s theme,” Defending African indigenous peoples Rights: Access to Justice and Remedies presents a vital opportunity to reflect on the urgent need for justice, sustainability, and inclusion in indigenous communities, particularly those suffering from decades of environmental degradation and marginalization.

According to the FENRAD’s Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, in Nigeria and across the Niger Delta, indigenous communities have borne the brunt of oil exploration and exploitation.

Their lands, rivers, and air have been polluted, their livelihoods destroyed, and their voices often silenced. From Ogoniland to Egbema, Oloibiri to Gbaramatu, environmental destruction continues to threaten indigenous existence, culture, and dignity.

FENRAD uses this occasion to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, oil multinationals, and relevant stakeholders to uphold the principles of environmental justice, which demand fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people—regardless of race, income, or ethnicity—in environmental policies and practices.

“Indigenous peoples are not just victims of environmental injustice—they are stewards of the land, defenders of biodiversity, and holders of ancestral knowledge that can help drive climate resilience,” said Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD.

“On this day, we urge the government to implement full remediation of impacted sites, ensure transparency in oil revenue sharing, and strengthen the rights of indigenous people to free, prior, and informed consent.”

FENRAD also highlights the slow and inadequate implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland and the need for independent oversight of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP). Indigenous youth must be empowered with education, skills, and opportunities to lead environmental action and demand accountability.