The Ogoni students in Diaspora are dismayed at Shell Oil Company’s clandestine and nonchalant activities in Ogoniland under police surveillance at Ebubu and Yorla oilfields. We made stunning discoveries that collaborates an article by a reputable weekly national tabloid, National Network (Vol.10 No. 8 Feb, 27- March 05th, 2013) entitled, “Shell’s secret return to Ogoni: Youths poised for War” part of which revealed that when reporters of the tabloid confronted Mr. Sunday Michael, Shell’s Community liaison officer he said, “their coming back was at the instance of Hon. Legbosi Nwidaadah, who represents Khana constituency 1 in the state House of Assembly and Chief Gilbert Warine.”
NUOS international team has monitored the excavation of farmlands, bushes, surveying work, and erection of pipes by the multinational oil giants in Ogoniland. We have made investigation, wide consultation, and contacted Ogoni Chiefs, Elders, and ordinary Ogonis within and surrounding villages and have come to the conclusion that Shell Oil is undertaking illegal oil theft and its activities should be investigated by the United Nations.
Based on the strength of our investigation (photos attached), we are poised to state as follows.
That:
1. Shell Oil Company should cease its activities in Ebubu (Eleme Local government area) and Yorla (Khana Local government area) oilfields forthwith. In addition, the Oil firm should withdraw its employees, contractors, machineries, and military personnel because Ogoni cannot guarantee, take liabilities for unforeseen contingencies that may ensue following forceful and illegal Oil operation in Ebubu and Yorla Oilfields.
2. Hon. Legborsi Nwidaadah, Chief Gilbert Warine or other Ogoni politicians/office holders, Rivers State, and Nigeria has no audacity to single-handedly usher-in Shell Oil Company, its affiliates, or sign new contracts with indigenous, national, or foreign exploiting firms without broader consultation and agreement with Ogoni people in concordance with the tenet of the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR).
3. If within 30 days from Monday 3/25/2013 Shell Oil Company is adamant, recalcitrant, and not in compliance with our demand, we shall consider the company an external aggressor and we shall seek U.N protection for the Ogoni people recognizing the universality of equal protection as a right.
4. We want to vouch for the Ogoni peoples’ vehement REJECTION of The Hydro-carbon Petroleum Restoration Project (HYPREP), a committee saddled with responsibility for the environmental clean-up and restoration of Ogoni environment because it is a Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Petroleum.
NUOS International view HYPREP as a conduit pipe for Shell Oil’s re-entry into Ogoniland; it has no track record, capability, technical expertise, and resources to undertake a massive clean-up and remediation of Ogoniland as recommended by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) that suggested Ogoni clean-up will take 30-years to complete. Going by the notion that the highest power in a Democracy resides in the people not the privileged individual, we the Ogoni people are demanding the scraping of HYPREP as we embrace UNEP for the Ogoni ecological cleaning and remediation.
5. We call on Governor Rotimi Amechi to immediately release the farmlands he ceased from Ogoni natives of Sogho and Tai without delay. Ogonis have not been consulted and there is no blueprint on profit sharing to land owners. Our investigations reveal that the Governor has a large share of profit and such land grabbing will doom Ogonis for ever.
6. Lives of innocent Ogonis has been lost for protesting the seizure of their lands by Governor Ameachi. This Governor and other culprits shall be duly punished for these crimes against humanity.
7. We call on President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw troops guarding Shell Oil workers from Ogoniland. We have sustained our struggle non-violently and do not need any provocations at this time.
8. We call on all Ogoni people and residents to remain calm while staying vigilant on Shell Oil’s criminal activities.
Conclusively, on 1993 Ogoni declaration we stand, (SHELL REMAIN PERSONAL NON GRATA IN OGONI)
Signed:
Pius Barikpoa Nwinee
President
Sampson B. Npimnee
Secretary
Baridakara Sunday
Public Relations Officer
Source: Modern Ghana
Photos of shell’s recent activities in Ogoniland