The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has threatened to shut oil companies whose activities negatively affect the environment and residents of their host communities.
NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe, said this after inaugurating an investigative panel on the complaints by some host communities on environmental pollution caused by activities of oil companies on Monday.
He regretted that past reports produced by various government regulatory agencies and institutions were ignored by the affected companies.
Angwe said his agency had earlier raised a team which undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas.
He assured that the era of impunity is over as the commission would ensure that its own report is fully implemented.
“We will not allow this impunity to continue. So we have decided to carry our special investigations into the activities.
“After this, we will take the report to the Federal Government of Nigeria and in line with our mandate, we will ensure that these report is implemented to the letter.
“Like we have said, this commission will not hesitate to shut down oil companies that today violate the rights of the people of Nigeria.”
On whether the NHRC possesses the power to shut the erring companies, Angwe said it was part of the mandate of the NHRC to investigate all issues bordering on rights of Nigerians.
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