The Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) Worldwide has backed the resumption of oil and gas exploration in Ogoniland while dissociating itself from the protest held in Bori on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
The federation said it neither authorised nor mandated any individual or group to organise the demonstration on behalf of Ogoni youths.
OYF Publicity Secretary, Chief Prince Ene Kingsley Lekue, disclosed this on Thursday during a world press conference in Port Harcourt on the protest, the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) and the proposed resumption of oil and gas activities in Ogoniland.
The federation acknowledged the right to peaceful assembly and expression but stressed that such rights should not be used to claim a representative mandate that had not been granted.
It called on relevant authorities to investigate the organisation and mobilisation of the protest, including those who organised, financed or encouraged it and the interests behind the action.
OYF also warned that competing claims of representation could heighten tension among Ogoni youths and potentially create a security concern, urging stakeholders to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of undermining peace and legitimate dialogue.
