The leading oil and gas company in Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has dismissed claims by some groups in Ogoni that it has begun concerted efforts to resume oil production, more than 24 years after it stopped crude oil production activities in Ogoniland.
The multinational oil and gas company also said it was not aware of any shooting incident involving government security personnel attached to the pipeline repair team in the area, and was not in a position to speak for the Nigerian military.
Reacting to a statement credited to Ogoni Youth Forum, claiming that soldiers attached to SPDC personnel, allegedly opened fire on some youth who were on a peaceful protest, at Nonwa, Tai, against the alleged forceful commencement of laying of pipelines in Ogoniland without the consent of the people or the conduct of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the company’s spokesman, Joseph Obari said: “The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) is carrying out repair work on the 24” Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) which passes through parts of Ogoni land and beyond.
“The scope of work involves replacement of sections of the existing pipeline. No new pipelines are being laid”.
Obari confirmed that “The 24” TNP has been shut in since 2013 awaiting this maintenance. SPDC has no plans to resume oil production in Ogoni land which was stopped in 1993.”
He explained that “The maintenance work involves repairs on the 24” TNP both in the Ogoni axis and beyond.”
The Shell spokesman also emphasised that “The affected communities have been adequately engaged and their support secured prior to mobilisation of the repair crew,” stressing that, “The repair work is providing employment and other benefits for the host communities.
“The works are restricted and contained within SPDC’s right of way, and so far, no third party land has been impacted”, Obari added.
It would be recalled that the Ogoni Youth Forum (OYF) had, last Friday, condemned the careless shooting of Ogoni youth by a detachment of men of the Nigerian Army.
The OYF had alleged that the Army personnel, attached to officials of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), last Thursday opened fire on some youth from Ogoni and injured many.
A statement by the National Coordinator of OYF, Yamaabana Legborsi in Port Harcourt, had regretted that in spite of years of agitations against environmental degradation and abuse, Ogoni communities were still battling with the hazards and past ill-activities of SPDC.
They alleged that the inability of the Federal Government to remediate the already over-polluted Ogoni environment without any severe sanctions had emboldened Shell to increase its unmitigated actions against the precious Ogoni environment.
When contacted on phone for comments, a spokesperson for the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Captain Eligible Lazarus could not be reached, as his mobile line was switched off.
In an interview with newsmen, the Chairman of Ogoni Council of Traditional Rulers, Mene Suanu Baridam, confirmed that some Ogoni youth actually protested against the ongoing laying of pipes in Ogoni by Shell, describing the action as provocative.
The traditional ruler described the traditional tendency of Shell to sow seeds of discord in Ogoni as a threat to the peace in the area, insisting that Shell was putting the cart before the horse.
Baridam, therefore, pleaded with the Federal Government to call Shell to order in order not to instigate another round of crisis in Ogoniland.
MOSOP, in a statement, yesterday, confirmed that the youth carried out a peaceful demonstration on October 26, 2017 against Shell over her resumed laying of pipelines in Ogoni suspended in August this year following protests led by MOSOP.
Signed by the Media and Public Affairs Advisor, Bari-ara Kpalap, MOSOP said, “The demonstration was necessitated by the reason that rather than respond to the demands of the people, Shell under the shield of sophisticatedly armed military and para-military operatives resumed the vexacious laying of oil pipelines in the region without carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as provided by law, to enable the people know the implications of the project.
“They also violated the right of the people to free, prior and informed consent protected under international law through refusal to hold broad-based discussion and obtain the agreement of the people.
“As early as 7am, the demonstrators had gathered at the popular Nonwa junction on the East-West Road running through the area, singing and dancing. Suddenly, heavily armed soldiers and police officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) led by the JTF commander in the area arrived in many military trucks and unleashed mayhem on the unarmed Ogoni demonstrators in an attempt to frustrate the protest.
“They shot sporadically and many of the demonstrators who were unlucky were savagely brutalised and inflicted with varying degrees of injuries.
“Those injured and are hospitalised include Messrs Lenaata Biraalo, Dumka Kpee Paago, Paul Barivule, Eedee Bedi, Keanyie Barikuula, Lekpea Barialo, Sunday Lekie. John Dumadi, Saturday Lodee, Popnwin Dibia and Barididum Kpoobe.
“The others Mrs. Basile Baridon, Nwinee Akoba, Biale Peter, Mary Nwidum, Lesira Paul and Justina Bekee. In fact, Samson Akpotor was so lucky as life bullets missed his head narrowly and shattered the window of a nearby building.”
However, the protesters regrouped, defied the violent security approach and carried on. Addressing the crowd, Bari-ara Kpalap warned that brutality was not going to sway the resolve of the people, emphasising that those that refuse peaceful advocacy to succeed certainly call for violent response but Ogoni won’t be swayed from its avowed non-violent and peaceful methodology.
He called on the people to use all peaceful and civilised means in resisting the attempt to deny Ogonis their rights, adding “that laying of pipelines in Ogoni falls within the context of oil production.”
He warned that Ogoni cannot accept that such capital project be executed in the area without EIA, discussion and agreement with the people, adding that Shell remains persona non-grata in Ogoni and must steer clear of the region.
Meanwhile, MOSOP, yesterday, slammed statements ascribed to the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Tai Local Government Area, Mr. Silver Ngba as not only disgraceful but also provocative and a huge betrayal of the Ogoni people.
It regretted that Ngba had earlier confessed to journalists on how he connived with Shell, using soldiers and the police to chase away Ogoni demonstrators protesting against the controversial laying of pipelines in the area without the free, prior and informed consent and agreement with the Ogoni people as well as carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before embarking on the project. He as well lamented that the oil mogul has refused to pay him as agreed after accomplishing his part of the deal.
MOSOP said in a statement yesterday that if the Tai LGA chairman could publicly tell the world how he took part in actions that violated the fundamental human rights of the Ogoni people, including inflicting bodily injuries on innocent, harmless and peaceful Ogoni demonstrators and gave pecuniary reason for his involvement, it was enough for the Rivers State Government to remove him from office.
MOSOP, thus warned all Ogonis to desist from working against the collective interest of the people as this will not be tolerated.