Abuja, Nigeria — The Isoko Renaissance Movement (IRM) has staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, calling for greater inclusion of Isoko people in the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance contracts across the Niger Delta region.
Led by its National Coordinator, the group gathered peacefully at key government offices and the National Assembly complex to draw attention to what they described as “systemic exclusion and marginalization of the Isoko Nation” in matters of national importance—particularly in oil pipeline monitoring and security arrangements.
According to the IRM, despite being one of Nigeria’s key oil-producing ethnic nationalities, the Isoko people have been consistently sidelined in the allocation of pipeline surveillance responsibilities, a situation they say undermines equity and fair representation in the Niger Delta.
“We are peace-loving people, but our patience should not be mistaken for weakness. The Isoko Nation produces oil, yet our people are left out of key contracts that directly affect our environment and livelihoods,”
— a spokesperson of the group stated during the protest.
The movement further expressed concerns over widespread environmental degradation, oil spillage, and the absence of federal infrastructure in Isoko communities, urging the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to engage Isoko stakeholders directly in future security and development initiatives.
IRM also demanded immediate government intervention in infrastructure development, youth empowerment, and environmental restoration across Isoko land, emphasizing that true peace in the Niger Delta cannot be achieved without justice and inclusivity for all ethnic groups.
The protest, which remained peaceful, drew attention from civil society organizations, media outlets, and Niger Delta advocates, who commended the IRM for its orderly conduct and firm stance on justice for the Isoko Nation.
Reporter: Isoko Nation News Team
Source: Vanguard Nigeria, 2025