By Egufe Yafugborhi

Rivers-born activist and Executive Director of the Canada-based Compassionate Heart Foundation, Sir Joe Korka-Waadah, has criticised Senator Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East) over comments linking former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege to the rise in oil theft in the Niger Delta.

During Wednesday’s Senate screening of tax expert Taiwo Oyedele for Minister of State for Finance, Senator Fadahunsi alleged that a motion moved by Omo-Agege in the 9th Senate contributed to increased oil theft. He claimed Omo-Agege had cited Zamfara State’s handling of gold worth N150 billion presented to former President Muhammadu Buhari, suggesting oil-producing states could similarly manage resources, which Fadahunsi said led to a drop in oil production to 600,000 barrels per day before government intervention raised it to 1.3 million bpd.

Fadahunsi had told his colleagues, “In the 9th Senate, we were taking about illegal mining, when Sen Ovie Omo-Agege stood up here and said that Zamfara State Government brought a model gold worth N150Billion to Mr President (Late Mohammed Buhari) to be given to Emefiele (Godwin, then CBN Governor) to deposit in the account of Zamfara Government and not to the central purse.

“He (Omo-Agege) now asked whether we (Senate) agree that they (Oil Producing States) can go back to the creeks and be stealing our oil. Some of us said well, since they can be doing it in Zamfara, you can go and do same.

“So this thing (oil production) went back to 600bpd before the Federal Government took a decision to stamp out this thing (oil theft) to raise it to 1.3mbpd.”

In response, Korka-Waadah described the senator’s statement as “a subtle attempt to shift blame” and expressed concern over perceived double standards in resource regulation.

“Oil theft in the operating environment far predates the 9th Senate,” Korka-Waadah said. “It has been established that local perpetrators are often foot soldiers sponsored by big players mostly from outside the region.”

He noted that while Niger Delta communities aligned with Omo-Agege’s 9th Senate submission highlighting regulatory inconsistencies between oil and solid minerals, Fadahunsi’s remarks wrongly implied Omo-Agege instigated increased theft.

The activist argued that Fadahunsi, a member of the 9th Senate, should have challenged the Zamfara gold transaction at the time rather than linking it to oil theft years later.

“As an Ogoni from Rivers State, this federal double standard—where illegal miners and northern states extract solid minerals without regulatory control or full remittance to the federal government while oil-bearing communities are denied equity in oil from their land—fuels long-standing agitation for self-determination,” Korka-Waadah stated.

He referenced the historical impact on Ogoniland, including the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, and recent efforts by President Bola Tinubu to address past injustices.

Korka-Waadah called on the 10th Senate to address illegal gold mining in Zamfara and other northern states and ensure proper remittance of proceeds to the federal government. He urged Senator Fadahunsi to advocate for equitable enforcement of resource laws rather than attributing oil theft to past statements by Omo-Agege.

He also expressed disappointment that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other senators from oil-producing states remained silent during the remarks.