The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has warned President Bola Tinubu against any move to forcefully restart oil production in Ogoniland, cautioning that such action could trigger unrest and damage the government’s image.

Speaking at the MOSOP secretariat in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke expressed confidence that Tinubu would resist pressure from private interests and oil industry players pushing for an abrupt resumption of crude production.

“The recent move to force a restart of oil production in Ogoni is one of the most deceptive and fraudulent attempts by the oil industry in collaboration with some private interests,” Nsuke said. “They want to trample on our rights, ignore our legitimate concerns, and expect us to submit to intimidation.”

He stressed that restarting oil activities without engaging Ogoni communities or addressing longstanding grievances would not only provoke strong resistance but also dent Tinubu’s credibility ahead of the 2027 elections.

“A forceful resumption will come with reputational damage to the government, and Mr President will not risk such image corrosion,” he warned. “It will be better for them to let the sleeping dog lie than hurt the reputation of the government.”

Nsuke called for calm among the Ogoni people, urging them to disregard provocation while MOSOP continues to push for peaceful dialogue with the government.

“If [Tinubu] falls to it, he will have to contend with a global image crisis and strong resistance on the home front,” he said. “But if he rejects them and listens to MOSOP, the Ogoni problem will be permanently resolved and he will gain a major win in the Niger Delta and internationally.”

The warning comes as tensions rise over oil-related activities in the region, where communities have long demanded environmental justice and proper stakeholder engagement before any new exploration or production.