Press Release: Order immediate withdrawal of JTF from Ogoniland, ERA/FoEN urges FG

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the Federal Government to immediately order men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) to withdraw from Bodo Community in Rivers State where community people are protesting Shell’s perceived plans to attribute a recent spill caused by equipment failure to sabotage. Community folks are irked that Shell is still spilling oil in Ogoni and yet failing to comply with a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendation for a cleanup of the Ogoni environment.

The protest in Bodo community is directly connected to a June 21, 2012 blow-out from a Shell facility for which the community has been mounting pressure on the company for clean- up.

Community folks allege that rather than conduct proper clean up, officials of Shell bribed some chiefs with N10 million with a request that they lie to the community people that the spill was an act of sabotage.

The bribe however angered the community people who started protests since last week. Sensing major trouble, Shell allegedly contacted the JTF which subsequently drafted that swooped on the community last Saturday.

In a statement issued in Lagos, ERA/FoEN described the massive deployment of soldiers to the community and brutalization of community people as “a provocative attempt to shield Shell from taking responsibility for its environmental crimes in Ogoniland”.

“The forceful occupation of Bodo by the JTF is totally objectionable. We must remind the Nigerian government that peaceful protest is a right of citizens in any true democracy. It is simply unacceptable for the JTF to re-enact the same brute force that did not and will not dampen the spirit of the Ogoni people to demand their lawful right to a pollution-free environment”, said ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey.

“Rather than deploy the JTF to Bodo to brutalise people already traumatised by Shell’s wanton destruction of their environment and livelihoods, the Nigerian government should deploy such energies in compelling Shell to comply with the UNEP recommendations for a thorough cleanup of the environment in Ogoniland”.

The UNEP assessment submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on August 4, 2011 showed hydrocarbon pollution in surface water throughout the creeks of Ogoniland and up to 8cm in groundwater that feed drinking wells. Soils were found to have been polluted with hydrocarbons up to a depth of five metres in 49 observed sites, while benzene, a known cancer-causing chemical was found in drinking water at a level 900 times above World Health Organisation (WHO) acceptable levels.

The report also documented that fisheries have been destroyed and that wetlands around Ogoniland are highly degraded. These combined, have led to irreparable loss of livelihoods and will take 30 years to remediate. Besides, the report recommended a $1 billion restoration fund for Ogoniland. Ironically, more than a year after its release, Shell is yet to commence remediation activities.

ERA/FoEN Director, Programmes and Administration, Godwin Uyi Ojo said: “The UNEP report is clear on what Shell should do without delay. Unfortunately, Shell has chosen to embark on a “merry-go-round” on the issues.”

“That Shell allegedly bribed community chiefs to lie about its own irresponsible actions in Bodo is the height of insult on the people and indeed the entire Niger Delta people impacted by the company’s operations. We again demand the immediate withdrawal of the JTF from the community and implementation of the UNEP report in its entirety.

Source: National Daily Newspaper

JOIN OGONI ONLINE FORUM TODAY!!!

NEWS TERMS & CONDITIONS