…clearly, they cannot absolve themselves of responsibility because they (Shell) brought in the soldiers to Ogoniland…In the last seven days, at least 50 persons excluding children died in Gokana alone… It appears a strategy for Shell to use the fear of death to compel our people to give up on the oil… The company (Shell) has in their racist conduct of business in Ogoniland carted away over $100 billion worth of oil, completely destroyed the environment and now unwilling to cleanup the mess from its operations.
Posts under ‘MOSOP’
Shell’s Strangulation of Ogoniland
Renewal of Shell’s Ogoni Mining Rights: An Insult to MOSOP
Renewal of Shell’s Ogoni Mining Rights: An Insult on our Collective Dignity MOSOP
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has reacted to the news of the renewal of Shell”s mining rights in Ogoni saying it comes as a shock and an insult on the collective dignity of the Ogoni people.
Nigerian Government and Shell Should be Ashamed of Ogoni Pollution Rather Than Publicize It – MOSOP
Nigerian Government and Shell Should be Ashamed of Ogoni Pollution Rather Than Publicize It – MOSOP
7 AUGUST 2018
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) says the Nigerian government and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited aught to be ashamed of their conduct in Ogoniland rather than speaking of cleanup plans for Ogoni as an achievement.
Nsuke spoke yesterday in Bori, Khana local government area of Rivers State during an interactive session with Ogoni youths. The MOSOP spokesperson said it was absurd to celebrate a shameful conduct like we have seen with Shell in Ogoniland. “Shell polluted the area and denied any wrongdoing, now a scientific report has unveiled the misconduct they hid for over 50 years“. “It is quite unfortunate that after over 50 years of polluting Ogoniland, our government and Shell do not understand that they should be apologizing to the Ogoni People and hurry to restore the land” he said. Nsuke further said “Shell and Nigeria’s conduct over the Ogoni issue is a shame because the government and Shell have watched over the destruction of Ogoniland and now want us to celebrate them because they want to use the cleanup to nichodimously resume oil production in Ogoni”. He maintained that Shell must be brought to justice over the more than 4000 Ogonis that have died from state-sponsored persecution and terminal diseases which now threaten every individual living in Ogoni Nsuke called on the government and Shell to compensate the Ogoni People for their losses, respect the rights of the Ogoni people as outlined in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, decriminalize the 9 innocent Ogonis including Ken Saro-Wiwa whom they hanged on November 10, 1995 and stop further abuses of the Ogoni People.
Disclaimer
The views, information, allegations or opinions expressed above are those of the author of the article. They have not been substantiated by the publisher of this website and may not represent the publishers views.
MOSOP Berate Nigerian Government Over Failure to Commence Ogoni Cleanup
“It is a shameful thing that the people in Ogoni are dying by the day and Shell and the Nigerian government through HYPREP are busy calling press conferences and explaining their endless preparations”.
Amnesty International Damning Indictment of Royal Dutch Shell
SHELL SOLICITED THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE ARMED FORCES AND ENCOURAGED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN OGONILAND WITH PAYMENTS AND ASSISTANCE TO THE SECURITY FORCES (See Page 3 of the document cited immediately below)
Extracts from pages 29, 30, 31 & 32 of an Amnesty International document entitled: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
RAPE OF OGONI WOMEN AND GIRLS
During the military raids on Ogoni villages in 1994 and in the detention centres of Bori Military Camp and Kpor, soldiers raped women and girls. Human Rights Watch recorded several accounts in its 1996 report.120 One woman told researchers that she watched as two soldiers raped her 13-year-old sister at gunpoint during a midnight raid on Bori around June 1994. A woman in her late thirties gave a harrowing account of her rape by five soldiers on the morning of 28 May 1994. A teenager said she had been raped by four soldiers whom she and her younger sister encountered one morning in June 1994, as they were returning from a well near their house:
MOSOP Condemn Shell, Nigerian Military Over Repression of Ogoni Farmers
MOSOP Condemn Shell, Nigerian Military Over Repression of Ogoni Farmers
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) wishes to strongly condemn the continual violation of the rights of the Ogoni people by Nigerian soldiers attached to the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).
We are deeply saddened that the repression of our people continue unabated as soldiers attached to SPDC continue to harass our women and farmers and prevent them from accessing their farmlands, destroying crops and forcefully lay pipelines through Ogoni farms.
SHELL IN OGONILAND: TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT
Two Ogoni fishermen have described how they were arrested by members of the police unit seconded to guard Shell personnel and installations (known as the Supernumerary or SPY police) on 22 June 1994. In a letter faxed to journalists after their release
from prison in October 1998, Kagbara Bassee and Blessing Israel said that the police arrested them at Benson Beach, Akwa Ibon State. They said that the police officers, who were accompanied by Shell staff, beat them with batons, knocking Blessing Israel unconscious.
Extracts from pages 27, 28 & 29 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
In July 1994, the Dutch ambassador told Shell Nigeria’s then chairperson Brian Anderson that the army had killed some 800 Ogonis.
EXTRACT BEGINS
TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT OF DETAINEES
During this time, numerous people – mostly from Ogoniland – were detained and held in military-run camps and subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Many were arbitrarily arrested and detained without charge for varying periods in 1994 and 1995 at either Bori Military Camp, in Port Harcourt, or the military detention centre set up in what used to be the police station in Kpor, in Ogoniland.102
Two environmentalists (Oronto Douglas and Nick Ashton-Jones) who went to visit Ledum Mitee, the MOSOP vice-president, in detention in the Bori Military Camp, on 26 June 1994, have described how they were detained, flogged and threatened with execution, on Paul Okuntimo’s orders.103 Nick Ashton-Jones described his experience:
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: ARREST OF MOSOP LEADERS, MORE VIOLENCE IN OGONILAND
It is not known how many people died during the raids, which lasted until August 1994, when the military claimed to have successfully “restored peace” to Ogoniland. In July, the Dutch ambassador told Shell Nigeria’s then chairperson Brian Anderson that the army had killed some 800 Ogonis.
Extracts from pages 25, 26 & 27 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
EXTRACT BEGINS
ARREST OF MOSOP LEADERS AND FURTHER VIOLENCE IN OGONILAND
On 21 May 1994, four of the traditional Ogoni leaders, who had fallen out with Ken Saro-Wiwa the previous year, were attacked while they were holding a meeting in Giokoo, Ogoniland. Because of serious flaws in the investigation and subsequent trial, and because prosecution witnesses gave conflicting accounts of what happened, the key facts surrounding the killings have never been fully established. According to the version put forward by the prosecution, the attack was carried out by a mob of hundreds of men.82 The prosecution said that these attackers beat the four traditional leaders to death and then set fire to their corpses. The victims were Chief Edward N. Kobani, who had resigned as MOSOP Vice-President in 1993, Albert T. Badey, Chief Samuel N. Orage and Chief Theophilus B. Orage.
MOSOP Condemn Shell’s Resurgence in Ogoniland
MOSOP Condemn Shell’s Resurgence in Ogoniland
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) strongly condemn the current military-backed laying of pipelines in K-Dere in Gokana local government area and other parts of Ogoniland by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Shell International.
We see the current invasion of parts of Ogoniland by Shell with the backing of Nigerian soldiers as a clear signal to Shell’s determination to kill local people and members of civil society groups especially MOSOP who have consistently protested against oil resumption in Ogoni without a broad-based engagement with the Ogoni people.
MOSOP maintains that oil related activities in any art of Ogoniland must be properly negotiated, not forced and must be done in good faith with the people’s free, prior and informed consent.
We recall that Shell”s injustices in Ogoniland had sparked up a conflict between the people, the government and the company since 1993. Consequently, over 4,000 Ogonis were killed by Shell–sponsored repression executed by Nigerian soldiers between 1993 and 1999.
The current affront by Shell is clearly another plot to further dehumanize, kill, abuse, rape and torture our people.
MOSOP strongly condemn Shell’s penchant for human rights abuses and disregard for the wishes of the Ogoni people. We insist that Shell will not push forward forceful resumption of oil production in the region and that Shell will end its use of Nigerian soldiers to intimidate, harass and torture of our people
We are deeply concerned about the danger posed by Shell’s presence in Ogoniland particularly as it affect the safety of local people who have consistently protested against the company.
We demand that Shell immediately withdraw its facilities from Ogoniland and desist from further actions that threaten the peace and security of our people.
Signed:
Fegalo Nsuke
Publicity Secretary
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People(MOSOP)
Disclaimer
The views, information, allegations or opinions expressed above are those of the author/originator of the article. They have not been substantiated by the publisher of this website and may not represent the publishers views.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CASTIGATES SHELL
The manager of Shell’s eastern division, J.R. Udofia, faxed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State specifically requesting the intervention of the Mobile Police (also known as MOPOL), a paramilitary unit. According to a subsequent judicial enquiry, the villagers had not in fact attacked Shell installations, but conducted a peaceful protest demanding that the oil company compensate them for damage caused by pollution from oil spills. Over the course of the next two days, the Mobile Police attacked the village, “like an invading army that had vowed to take the last drop of the enemy’s blood”, the inquiry found. The Mobile Police, using guns and grenades, killed 80 people, throwing many corpses into a nearby river, the survivors testified.
Extracts from pages 19 to 23 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
EXTRACT BEGINS
LOCAL PROTESTS AND MILITARY CRACKDOWN
In November 1990, just over two years before the Ogoni protests gathered pace, a violent crackdown by armed police in Umuechem community (some 30km from Ogoniland), showed how high the stakes were for anyone protesting in the oil-producing region. Following demonstrations by villagers, Shell warned the government of an “impending attack.”32 The manager of Shell’s eastern division, J.R. Udofia, faxed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State specifically requesting the intervention of the Mobile Police (also known as MOPOL), a paramilitary unit.33
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE OGONI CRISIS BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
On 10 November 1995, nine men from Ogoniland, a small area within Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, were hanged by the military authorities, after a blatantly unfair trial. Their bodies were then dumped in unmarked graves. One of them was the outspoken and acclaimed writer Kenule (Ken) Saro-Wiwa… The other men executed that day were Dr Barinem Kiobel, a former government official, and seven members and supporters of MOSOP…
Extracts from pages 17, 18 & 19 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
EXTRACT BEGINS
On 10 November 1995, nine men from Ogoniland, a small area within Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, were hanged by the military authorities, after a blatantly unfair trial. Their bodies were then dumped in unmarked graves. One of them was the outspoken and acclaimed writer Kenule (Ken) Saro-Wiwa, who had gained worldwide recognition for his leadership of a campaigning organization, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). This had drawn attention to the ecological devastation caused by decades of oil production, and the lack of economic development, in Nigeria’s oil-producing areas. The other men executed that day were Dr Barinem Kiobel, a former government official, and seven members and supporters of MOSOP: Saturday Dobee, Paul Levula, Nordu Eawo, Felix Nuate, Daniel Gbokoo, John Kpuinen and Baribor Bera.
Nigeria’s Suppression of Civil Rights in Ogoni
The Shame of an African Giant:: The Case of Nigeria’s Suppression of Civil Rights in Ogoni
The author, Fegalo Nsuke is the Publicity Secretary of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP).
At the inception of this administration, I had anticipated some relief for the Ogoni people not only because the new president had during his campaign pledged to implement the clean-up of Ogoniland but I had expected that the clean-up will open discussions on crucial issues affecting the Ogoni people especially the issue of the political rights to self determination.
I had hopes that president Buhari’s integrity, based on what I had heard about him and his uprightness, will not be compromised and was actually optimistic of a renewed commitment to resolve the Ogoni problem.
I was sure that president Buhari understood that in over 30 years of oil exploration in Ogoniland, an estimated $81 billion dollars had been generated from the area, excluding the huge gas potentials of the area, the revenue from the two seaports, two refineries, a petro-chemical complex and two power stations in the area.
Nigeria’s Irresponsible Actions in Ogoniland
By Fegalo Nsuke, MOSOP Publicity Secretary
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) considers the actions of the Nigerian government and Shell towards Ogoni as very irresponsible, especially in respect of the recent oil war perpetrated by some Nigerian oil firms on Ogoni.
MOSOP says Shell concealed Ogoniland daily oil output
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) says the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, a subsidiary of Shell International lied about its production capacity in Ogoniland before it shut down operations in 1993.
The Publicity Secretary of MOSOP who made this known during an interactive session with leaders of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) on Monday, March 26, 2018 in Bori, headquarter of Khana local government area said before Shell shut down its operations in Ogoniland in 1993, the company failed to account for daily output of 157,000 barrels.
Nsuke said available statistics show that while Shell claimed its production capacity in Ogoniland was 28,000 barrels per day, the company was actually producing 185,000 barrels per day.
SHELL’S CONTROVERSIAL REPLACEMENT OF PIPELINES ACROSS OGONILAND
Shell is still bulldozing Ogoni farmlands and continuing with the laying of these pipelines.
Extract from a press briefing given by Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, MOSOP President on 2nd March 2018
MOSOP reiterates its earlier position maintained since last June 2017 that Shell’s continuing laying of pipelines in Ogoniland is a negation of the environmental rights of the Ogoni People and a great display of impunity against the extant laws of this country.
MOSOP had right from the onset demanded that Shell carries out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) on these areas before the pipelines are laid. When this request was rebuffed, MOSOP called out Ogoni people for a peaceful protest on the 4th August 2017 at Biara Community. Shell suspended operations but later resurfaced again at another flank of the Ogoni community in October 2017.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACCUSE SHELL OF COMPLICITY IN THE EXECUTION OF THE OGONI NINE
…at all times, Shell’s directors based in The Hague and London were fully aware of what was happening in Nigeria and what the staff of Shell Nigeria were up to. The evidence also makes clear that staff in London and The Hague were not passive recipients of this information. A clear directing role is evident.
Extract from page 12 of an Amnesty International document headed: “A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE?SHELL’S INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NIGERIA IN THE 1990s”
Under Executive Summary.
BEGINS
COMPLICITY IN THE MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND EXECUTION OF THE OGONI NINE
The culmination of the Nigerian military government’s campaign to crush the MOSOP protests was the execution of the Ogoni Nine on 10 November, 1995. Shell knowingly provided encouragement and motivation to the military authorities to stop the MOSOP protests, even after the authorities repeatedly committed human rights violations in Ogoniland and specifically targeted Ken Saro-Wiwa and MOSOP. By raising Ken Saro-Wiwa and MOSOP as a problem, Shell was reckless, and significantly exacerbated the risk to Saro-Wiwa and those linked to MOSOP. Shell knew full well that the government regularly violated the rights of those linked to MOSOP and had targeted Saro-Wiwa. Following the arrests and during the blatantly unfair trial, the nature of the danger was clear. However, even after the men were jailed, being subjected to torture or other ill-treated and facing the likelihood of execution, Shell continued to discuss ways to deal with the “Ogoni problem” with the government, and did not express any concern over the fate of the prisoners. Such conduct cannot be seen as other than endorsement and encouragement of the military government’s actions.
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