Press Release: Shell Plots Another Ogoni Massacre – MOSOP

Posted by admin Headlines, Oil Politics, Rivers, State News Saturday, May 16th, 2020

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) wishes to strongly express its concerns over the visit by Shell officials in company of Nigerian soldiers to Ogoni oilfields on April 30, 2020.

Eye witness accounts and credible community sources which monitored the activities have it that officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, yesterday visited some communities in Gokana local government including Biara and K-Dere inspecting pipelines in the area in view of a possible reactivation of the oilfields for oil production.

MOSOP wishes to state clearly that while the Ogoni people are not entirely opposed to oil resumption in Ogoni, we are concerned that without the consent of the Ogoni people, these actions can generate a conflict which could lead to the killing of our people by Nigerian security forces.

It is particularly disheartening that the Shell Petroleum Development Company in desperation to forcefully resume oil production in Ogoni will continue to adopt divide and conquer tactics, incite the Nigerian armed forces against the Ogoni people and irresponsibly prosecute an environmental war against the Ogoni.

MOSOP reiterates that forceful oil resumption have been one strong weapon of Shell used to kill the Ogoni. Shell very well understands that attempts to resume oil operations in Ogoni will agitate the Ogoni people who will resist the moves through civil protests. Shell in slick alliance with the Nigerian Government in response will invite soldiers who end up killing the Ogoni protestors. This, MOSOP will strongly resist as we do not want any further deaths for oil in Ogoni.

MOSOP is therefore very strongly opposed to actions, such as forceful oil resumption, which jeopardizes the peace and safety of the Ogoni people and will mobilize very strongly for a civil and peaceful resistance against any move that threaten Ogoni lives.

MOSOP remains open to negotiations on the way forward and in our efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Ogoni problem have severally placed the demands of the Ogoni people before the Nigerian government and Shell.

Based on recent resolutions of Ogoni congresses and the MOSOP Central Committee and consistent with demands in the Ogoni Bill of Rights which we have earlier submitted to the Nigerian Government, we demand that Shell and the Nigerian government should amongst other demands consent to the following to facilitate a speedy resolution of all issues surrounding the Ogoni problem:

1. The Exoneration of the nine innocent Ogonis murdered by the Nigerian state on November 10, 1995 including Ken Saro-Wiwa, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Nordu Eawo, Dr Barinem Kiobel, and others.

2. That Nigeria should respect the political rights of the Ogoni people to self determination by creating a state for the Ogoni people.

3. Nigeria should halt further military attacks on the Ogoni community and human rights campaigners particularly the unwarranted assaults on the leadership of MOSOP.

4. Shell and her joint venture partners should compensate the Ogoni people for massive environmental damages and the consequential livelihood losses due to their reckless business practices.

5. Shell and their joint venture partners should implement a proper cleanup of the Ogoni environment, ensuring the provision of safe drinking water for the Ogoni people.

MOSOP reiterates that while the Ogoni people are not completely opposed to oil production in the area, we strongly condemn and reject the continual exploitation of Ogoni resources at the detriment of the Ogoni people. MOSOP also completely reject the suppression of Ogoni voices demanding justice in Nigeria.

MOSOP is very deeply concerned that the Ogoni people having suffered severe state persecution sponsored by Shell should not be subjected to further inhuman treatment, trauma, pain, torture and death which the planned assault by Shell is bound to cause.

Convinced that our above demands are already being enjoyed by other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria whose cumulative contributions to the Nigerian state does not amount to 50percent of Ogoni contributions, we will call on the Nigerian Government to urgently ascend to the Ogoni demands which will invariably promote a peaceful resolution of the Ogoni problem.

Signed:

Alex Akori

Acting Secretary General

MOSOP

May 1, 2020

wp_posts