Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to avert a possible breakdown of the peace in Ogoniland, by putting a check on the activities of Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo Michael Limited, whose desperation for Ogoni oil has created local groups sharply divided against one another, with potentials for serious crisis in the area.

In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by Publicity Secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, MOSOP warned that “the divide and conquer tactics of Belema Oil and Robo Michael, both associates of the Shell Petroleum, are seriously pitching Ogoni against one another, and could lead to a full-scale conflict between these groups.”

According to MOSOP, the way forward is a peaceful settlement through dialogue, taking into consideration the interests of Ogoni people, as articulated in the Ogoni bill of rights.

The movement, therefore, expressed its displeasure with the Nigerian government feigning ignorance, while companies representing her interests, notably Belema Oil and Robo Michael, continue to sponsor local actors who have turned themselves into rival groups, projecting the various interests of their sponsors, which presents real threat to the peace of Ogoniland.

To avoid such possible clash, MOSOP urged the Federal Government under President Buhari’s watch to call Belema Oil and Robo Michael to order, noting that Ogoni people have at no time approved the resumption of oil mining in the area.

The group charged that government should prevail on all stakeholders involved in the “remediation of Ogoniland, to release their counterpart funding for the clean-up of our polluted lands immediately.”

“We note the threats faced by our people due to the continued delays in the clean-up of the area, and are dismayed that while the realities of the death sentence passed on our people by Shell’s poor business operations remain with us, government is rather silent and by implication encouraging Nigerian companies representing her interests, notably Robo Michael and Belema Oil, to continue sponsoring groups and cause strong division, with potentials to ignite serious conflict in Ogoniland.

“We note that the activities of Belema Oil and Robo Michael advertently bears on the oil interests of the Federal Government of Nigeria and, therefore, urge the Nigerian president, Mohammadu Buhari, to take full responsibility for the peace of Ogoniland by placing a restriction and prevailing on these Nigerian companies not to cause crises in Ogoniland, through the various groups they now sponsor to advance their interests in the area.

“We reiterate our position that oil resumption in Ogoniland is not our priority at this time, and call on the government to initiate discussions between all parties to this prolonged conflict, including Shell, the Nigerian authorities and the Ogoni people, to discuss a peaceful settlement to the crises.”

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