The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has warned the Federal Government and its security agents against killing of Ogoni people even as it condemned the killing of three youths of Luebe community in Ogoni, Rivers State last Sunday.

Fegalo Nsuke, Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Tuesday, accused men of the Nigerian Police of being behind the killings.

According to him, the youths had attempted to stop the Police from escorting illegally-mined petroleum products through their community en-route Ndoki in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the Luebe killings were very regrettable not only because the youths had risen against pipeline vandalism masterminded and prosecuted by men of the Nigerian Police, they have also shown that the crime for which the government and Shell Petroleum Development Company had accused the Ogoni community is a crime by a criminal gang that is enjoying the protection of the Police.

Nsuke said Ogoni people are disheartened that the killing of their people by state security and the policies of government is dangerously and increasingly pointing to a state-backed genocide against the people.

MOSOP noted with regret, what it viewed as the impunity that characterised the killings and abuses perpetrated by Nigerian security forces against the Ogoni people. It recalled that recently, over 35 persons were killed in Ogoniland in a military raid preceding the last re-run elections.

“The National Assembly launched a probe into the incident. The report has not been made public. Last month, precisely on October 6, Nigerian soldiers shot at peaceful protesters in Tai, no one has been held to account for the shootings nor has Shell, the company that has sponsored this shooting and several others ever been questioned over her activities in Ogoniland,” the statement read.

The Movement called on the Federal Government to properly investigate and prosecute every erring officer involved in the Luebe killings, while demanding an end to the mindless and seemingly deliberate killing of its people by security forces.

“We expect the security forces to protect our people and not kill them, we therefore want to make clear, our strong disgust against the impunity that has characterised human rights abuses by security men in Ogoniland and demand an end to this.”

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