The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has said it still stands against the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni Land by Shell without recourse to implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Environment report on the area.
MOSOP president, Legborsi Pyagbara, who made this assertion while speaking to the press in Port Harcourt on Friday, called on Shell to carry out environmental impact assessment of the area before pipes are laid.
Pyagbara while expressing disgust against the return of SPDC to the area, having being declared persona non Grata, also said the people of Ogoni have petitioned the National Human Right Commission to intervene in the matter.
“That shell’s continued laying of pipeline in Ogoni land 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 from the onset, demanded that Shell carryout an environmental impact assessment on this areas, before pipelines are laid.
“When this request was rebuffed, MOSOP called out Ogoni people for a peaceful protest on the 4th of August 2017, at Biera community.
“Shell suspended operations, but later resurfaced again, and were seen in Ogoni communities in October 2017.
“MOSOP organized another protest at Nonwa Tai, on the 26th October 2017 which was met with heavy resistance and repression by a combined team of security agencies called upon by Shell and its contractors to stop the Protest”
The MOSOP president went ahead to accuse the National coordinator of Ken Saro Wiwa Associates, Gani Topba, Chairman oil bearing communities, Donald Gberesu and Belema oil of plotting to create crisis in the area, and revealed that MOSOP has been at the vanguard of the campaign against resumption of oil activities and operations in Ogoni land, with a broad-based discussion with relevant stakeholders.
