Saro-Wiwa was not Hanged for Murder – State Security Services Boss

The Bayelsa State Director of the State Security Services, SSS, Andrew Ayaji has thrown more light into the actual reasons Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged with eight of his kinsmen in 1995. The security chief’s supports widely held position that Saro-Wiwa’s crime was his protest against injustice meted on the Ogoni people by Shell and the Nigerian government.

The security chief was speaking yesterday while delivering a lecture at this year’s  Bayelsa State Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)’s press week held at the council hall in Yenagoa. The Nigerian government had denied claims that Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged because he had championed the Ogoni struggles for self determination.

Andrew Ajaji said Saro-Wiwa’s non-violent campaign threatened the Nigerian state. He claimed that Saro-Wiwa was hanged because the Nigerian government feared his campaign could break up the country.

Ajaji’s position is spurious and reflects the security position that has led to heavy military invation of Ogoni and threatened the existence of Ogoni people through serious harassment and military-led attacks on Ogoni people.

Source: OgoniNews

This article is a republication as part of our Nov. 10th special editions to remember Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni8