Residents of Unyenge, an oil-producing community in Nigeria's Akwa Ibom state, have demanded direct access to ₦126.85 billion in accumulated gas flare penalties.
The community insists the funds be deployed immediately to restore the local environment, which has suffered severe degradation from decades of oil extraction and associated gas flaring.
The demand underscores growing friction between local communities and the regulatory framework governing environmental remediation in the Niger Delta.
Under existing regulations, penalties for gas flaring are intended to fund cleanup efforts, but residents argue that the money has not reached the affected areas.
The call for direct access to the funds reflects a broader push for greater transparency and accountability in how environmental liabilities are managed.
This development occurs against a backdrop of rising global scrutiny on gas flaring.