Pro-Saro-Wiwa groups demand justice before Ogoni oil exploration

Civil society groups in Ogoniland have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to exonerate late environmental rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders executed in 1995 by the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha before any discussion on oil exploration resumes in the region.

The groups, including the Coalition for the Exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight and the Ogoni Ministers for the Actualisation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights, insist that justice and environmental redemption must precede any oil-related activities.

Speaking at a press briefing in Bori over the weekend, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, Mr. Fegaloo Nsuke, reaffirmed their commitment to the Ogoni Bill of Rights, adopted in 1990.

The document demands political autonomy, control over Ogoni resources, fair representation in national institutions, and environmental protection.

The group emphasised that the execution of Saro-Wiwa, Baribor Bera, Saturday Doobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbokoo, Felix Nuate, John Kpuinen, and Dr. Nubari Kiobel was a “miscarriage of justice” and a “blatant abuse of power” orchestrated by the Abacha regime at the behest of Shell.

Quoting President Tinubu’s earlier remark that “We cannot rewrite history, but we can correct some of its anomalies,” the groups urged him to exonerate the Ogoni Nine.

They argued that their only crime was resisting the exploitation of Ogoni resources by Shell and the Nigerian government.

The groups also called for the establishment of a peace and reconciliation panel to investigate the deaths of the Ogoni Four, whose murder led to the trial and execution of the Ogoni Nine.

They believe a thorough investigation would help bring closure and healing to the families and the broader Ogoni community.

In their statement, the groups criticised the Federal Government’s facilitation team, arguing that it lacks inclusivity and “does not represent the broad spectrum of Ogoni people.”

 They demanded a pause in the ongoing consultation process to properly address their grievances and prevent “further conflict or bloodshed.”

They stated: “For 32 years, Ogoni people have resisted the resumption of oil production. Any attempt to force it upon us without addressing our concerns will be met with resistance.”

The Ogoni Ministers for the Actualisation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights, represented by Rev. Eko Joe Nwikonzor, insisted that the bill should serve as the foundation for any negotiations on oil resumption.

They urged the government to set up a team of experts to study and implement the bill’s provisions, which include self-determination, resource control, environmental protection, education, health, and cultural preservation.

In a separate press conference, Pastor Barinaadaa Barry Wugale, representing the Ogoni Solidarity Forum in South Africa, criticised President Tinubu for what he described as a “token gesture” of establishing a university in Ogoniland without addressing the core demands of justice and reparations.

“It is easier for President Tinubu to sign an executive order exonerating Ken Saro-Wiwa and others than to build universities. The Federal Government must address the decades-long suffering of the Ogoni people and provide adequate compensation,” Wugale stated.

The forum expressed dissatisfaction with what they view as the government’s failure to prioritise justice, environmental restoration, and economic empowerment for Ogoniland.

Reiterating their call for justice, the groups urged President Tinubu to take “concrete steps” toward addressing their grievances and ensuring lasting peace in the region.

They maintained that any attempt to resume oil exploration without resolving these issues would “only deepen existing tensions and resistance.”