The Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) has filed a court injunction before a federal high court restraining the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) from accessing an alleged fraudulent variation costs aggregated on already completed projects.
In a press statement released on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Douglas Fabeke, the organization confirmed instituting the legal action at the Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1524/26/, seeking an order of interlocutory injunction against HYPREP.
The suit is requesting the court to restrain the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, the Chairman of HYPREP Board of Trustees, the Head of Accounts Department in HYPREP, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the honourable Minister of Environment from accessing, disbursing or, otherwise, utilizing the sum of ₦62,554,850,275 approved as a cost variation for projects alleged to have been completed.
“In the suit filed by its counsel, the OLI contends that the said variation is irregular, lacks due process, and amounts to a misappropriation of public funds meant for the environmental remediation of Ogoniland,” the statement alleged.
The statement further claimed that the group has processed and placed before the court about 368 documentary evidences of various alleged fraudulent transactions within HYPREP.
It categorically faulted the relevant National Assembly committee that investigated HYPREP for failing to release its oversight findings in which, according to Fabeke, over ₦400 billion in project funds were discovered to be unaccounted for.
The OLI leader, Fabeke, argued that the current condition of the Ogoni people is heartbreaking with communities remaining yet widely polluted and impoverished, while billions of naira have been budgeted without the expected or justifiable developments in the area long after HYPREP commenced operations a couple of years ago.
The Ogoni Liberation Initiative, consequently, cited alleged complicity of certain government hierarchy in the management of HYPREP in fostering fraudulent activities amounting to billions of naira, calling for their sack.
“The OLI is calling for the immediate removal of the Honourable Minister of Environment, citing alleged involvement in multiple fraudulent activities involving billions of Naira and a persistent refusal to respond to official correspondence from stakeholders.”
The group reiterated its commitment to peaceful advocacy, due process, and the rule of law in the pursuit of environmental justice for people of Ogoni.
It clarified that the lawsuit is not aimed at fighting any individual, but was necessitated by the constant refusal of both the Ministry of Environment and HYPREP management to provide answers to issues of corruption raised by the group at different times.