The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has condemned alleged move by the Federal Government to build cemeteries in Ogoniland, rather than meet the demands of the Ogoni people before oil exploration was returned to the area.
This was as MOSOP alleged that the Federal Government was conniving with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to “wage war” in Ogoniland by using state instruments to suppress the people.
The Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, who disclosed this in a statement, however, reiterated the resolve of the Ogoni people to resist moves by oil companies to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land without proper consultations with the stakeholders.
He said: “The recent plan to build cemeteries in Ogoniland clearly indicates an anticipation of the massive death outcome of the planned crackdown on the people. We regret that Nigeria is further deteriorating into a country without conscience and we urge all men of conscience not to allow the impending genocide to happen.
“MOSOP considers the actions of the Nigerian Government and Shell towards Ogoni as very irresponsible, especially in respect to the recent oil war perpetrated by some Nigerian oil firms on Ogoni.
“We bemoan government silence as state instruments are being continuously used to suppress our people disregarding their precarious conditions and severe trauma associated with living in polluted Ogoniland.”
“We are shocked that even in a supposedly democratic setting our own government can turn a blind eye at legitimate demands for fairness, thereby encouraging a repressive attempt to resume oil production in Ogoni without genuine commitment to address the needs of the Ogoni people.”
MOSOP specifically warned that attempt to resume oil production without the consent of the entire Ogoni people is clearly a plan of government and the oil industry to kill and repress the Ogoni people as there will surely be strong resistance against these moves.
It noted that the recent plans to build cemeteries in Ogoniland were clear indications of an anticipated massive death outcome of the forthcoming crackdown, saying “we regret that Nigeria is further deteriorating into a country without conscience and urge all men of conscience not to allow the impending genocide.
He said that after more than 30 years of oil of exploration in Ogoniland, the people of the area could only boast of “severely polluted environment, a completely destroyed community life with no water, electricity, basic schools, roads, health care facilities and a disoriented system without any reasonable support from the government.”
