The Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative (PILEX) has dragged the Federal Government to court, challenging the continued legal authorization of gas flaring under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
The Coordinator of PILEX, Courage Nsirimovu, said the legal action is aimed at protecting Nigerians, particularly communities in the Niger Delta, from the harmful effects of air pollution, toxic emissions, environmental degradation and climate change caused by gas flaring.
Nsirimovu said decades of gas flaring have exposed communities to polluted air, damaged ecosystems and loss of livelihoods, stressing that the situation raises serious questions about the constitutional rights to life and human dignity.
He noted that the recurrent flooding, displacement, destruction of homes and livelihoods across the Niger Delta make urgent environmental action imperative, arguing that economic development must not come at the expense of human lives and a safe environment.
According to him, the suit is not an attack on Nigeria’s petroleum industry, but a demand for responsible and sustainable exploitation of the nation’s natural resources within the boundaries of constitutional rights, public health and environmental justice.
Nsirimovu called on civil society organisations, environmental activists, lawyers, scientists, affected communities and Nigerians to support the legal battle, describing it as an opportunity for the judiciary to provide clarity on the relationship between petroleum activities, human rights and climate change.
PILEX says its message is simple: gas flaring is not just an environmental issue—it is a human rights issue. The organisation says it is seeking justice for the Niger Delta, protection for present generations and a safer environment for generations yet unborn.
