John Diidi
Youths and women of Kdere community, in Gokana local Government Area of Rivers State, on tuesday, shut down the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company in the area over alleged resumption of oil exploration activities in the community without due consultations.
The people of the community, who where seen chanting songs of their late leader, Ken Saro Wiwa, uprooted pipes being laid by Shell in their community.
Leader of the protesters, Nwindeh Namon, alleged that SPDC entered the community through the backdoor.
She emphasized that responsible people of the community must be present before Shell carries out any activity.
On his part, the coordinator of the Ken Saro Wiwa Associates, Gani Topgba, faulted the alleged shell entry into the community.
Speaking to the press, he had this to say:
“Kdere has more than 200 oil wells and has been providing oil to the Nigerian state over the years. No school, no hospital, no road. The only thing that the military government gave to Kdere people, is to kill their fathers and mothers.
“But We are demanding one thing, that our leaders declare shell personal Non-grata in ogoni land and Kdere, because the Kdere people have not asked Shell to return back to their land. Based on that, from today we ask
Shell International, Shell Nigeria, NNPC to immediately move their things from the land of Kdere.
Also speaking, the Factional chairman of National Youth Council of Ogoni people Morgan Nuate, Decried lack of infrastructural development in the community despite years of operation.
“Kdere people in particular and the entire Ogoni are marginalized. Shell has been here 61 years today, no pipe born water.
“Even when we are drinking benezene contaminated water, 900 times WHO standard, yet Shell is insensitive, highly insensitive, people are dying. Instead of you (Shell) to provide pipe born water for the people, you’re busy laying pipes.
Morgan Nuate faulted shell for its insensitivity towards the Ogoni people.
He said that shell has not done anything for the people to warrant their coming back.
In his words: ”There is no health care facilities, no scholarship, no loan, no employment, in fact no Amelioration”.
SPDC is yet to respond to the protest.
