Nation
FG Plotting Fresh Ogoni Executions, MOSOP Alerts
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has expressed its worries over disturbing signs indicating that the Nigerian authorities are plotting fresh Ogoni executions.
This is coming barely 26 years after the brutal and barbaric execution of nine Ogoni civil rights activists, including celebrated rights campaigner, Ken Saro-Wiwa, on November 10, 1995.
MOSOP, in a statement, yesterday, and signed by its Secretary-General, Alex Akori, said the group is deeply unsettled that the Nigerian Government through its agency, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), was sponsoring crises and encouraging conflicts to justify another military crackdown, kill and maim the Ogoni people in desperation to force the resumption of oil production in Ogoni while the state was building prisons and cemeteries in the area.
The statement added that “the recent assault by the NPDC has made the intentions of the Nigerian Government to build prisons and cemeteries in Ogoni become clearer.
“It is now obvious that the government is aware of the plan to kill and imprison us for asking for basic rights.
“MOSOP notes that these actions should not be taken lightly and the world needs to come together to stop this genocide.
“This is genocide and we should not all fold our arms and watch this happen in the 21st century.
“MOSOP condemns the sneaky moves of the NPDC and its allies to violate the rights of the Ogoni people. We note that such backdoor moves will not and have never helped the situation”.
The statement further reads, “We want to make unequivocally clear that the Ogoni people have never been completely against the resumption of drilling activities in Ogoni.
“We have, however, insisted on dialogue as a peaceful means to avert the conflicts and loss of Ogoni lives which has been associated with attempts to force oil production in Ogoni.
“MOSOP urges the Nigerian Government to act and treat citizens with some respect noting that the Ogoni campaigns for justice and fundamental human rights are justifiable. We emphasize that whereas the Ogoni campaigns for basic rights have cost the loss of an estimated 4,000 lives, we do not want any Ogoni lives to be lost anymore.
“We, therefore, call on all parties including Shell, the NPDC and its allies to desist from causing any crises in Ogoni.
“MOSOP notes that it is the right of the Ogoni people to be treated fairly in Nigeria and strongly condemn the government’s use of divisive tactics to push forward its desperation for oil in Ogoni as it portends danger to the lives and peace of local community dwellers who will certainly resist the move.
“MOSOP, therefore, calls for proper and genuine dialogue with all critical stakeholders to address the disputes between Ogoni, Shell and the Nigerian Government.
“We note that the Ogoni people have suffered tremendously in Nigeria and need not be stretched further. We strongly consider the NPDC’s attempt to force oil resumption in Ogoni an assault on the rights of the Ogoni people as an indigenous community in Nigeria.
“While we stress that the Ogoni people were not completely against the resumption of oil mining activities, MOSOP insists on the free, prior and informed consent of the Ogoni people rather than the present use of state-sponsored, crude methods through the NPDC.
“We consider Nigeria’s attempt to forcefully resume oil production in Ogoni against the wishes of the people as coercive, a violation of the rights of the Ogoni people as an indigenous community and in contravention of International Conventions on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.
“Nigeria’s conduct in Ogoni was unacceptable especially at a time when the oil spills from its operations in over 60 years were yet to be cleaned.
“It is on record that Shell and the Nigerian Government have messed up the Ogoni environment and the consequences of the pollution have led to strange illnesses associated with the death of over 300,000 Ogonis in the past 60 years.
“MOSOP condemns every action of the government designed to cause fresh oil spills while they were yet to clean the previous pollution.
“We advise the Nigerian Government to do the right thing to enjoy the support of citizens and not demonstrate the strength of the state to its own citizens.
“MOSOP urges the Ogoni people to remain nonviolent and peaceful as leaders of the organisation work to address these issues in the best way possible.”
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3