The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has raised an alarm over perceived plans by the Federal Government and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land.
President of MOSOP, Legborsi Pyagbara while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, stressed that no oil production can take place in Ogoni without a clear process of clean up and broad public discussion about the future of oil operations in Ogoniland.
Pyagbara said resumption of oil activities in the area may throw Ogoni into another round of crisis.
The MOSOP President, however, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Shell and NPDC to cease engagements focused on resuming oil production in Ogoni.
The organization stressed that the Federal Government and the prospective oil companies should initiate a broad-based discussion with representation from all sectors of the Ogoni communities if there was credible interest in resuming production.
President of MOSOP, Legborsi Pyagbara said non-violent actions will be taken by Ogoni people to further drive home their point.
According to Pygbara, “In the recent months, there had been intense and deliberate attempts by the oil industry to return to the Ogoni oilfields through the back door without any broad-based discussion with the Ogoni people with the potential of igniting a blaze of conflict and violence that will skirt this forceful attempt to return to the area.
“Shell and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) is keen on using their divide and rule tactics to polarise the Ogoni community and pit them against one another. This approach is completely condemnable and detestable and will be totally resisted by the Ogoni people.
“It is especially disappointing because we have seen divisive efforts to re-enter Ogoni for oil production over the last decade all of which have ended in failure. In each case the lack of transparency and attempts to deal with local actors in isolation was the fundamental failure.
“It is instructive to note that whilst the government of Nigeria commissioned the UNEP to carry out an assessment of Ogoniland whose report had called for a total clean-up and restoration of Ogoniland, it is disappointing that the same government is going about trying to force their way through the back door to commence operations in Ogoniland without addressing the key concerns that had been raised by the Ogoni people across the years.
“Shell and NPDC should cease engagements focused on resuming oil production in Ogoni within seven days.
“If there is credible interest in resuming production the Federal Government and the prospective oil companies should together initiate a broad-based discussion with representation from all sectors of the Ogoni community.
“Based on the UNEP report, government and companies undertake a credible environmental impact assessment of proposed oil operations in Ogoniland, to include social and health dimensions, as well as a public consultation.
“We are seizing this opportunity to inform the people of the world of the potential crisis and violence that the government of Nigeria and the Shell PDC/NPDC plan to inflict on the Ogoni people. “
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