The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has described the actions of Shell in Ogoniland as an embarrassment to the civilised world and an onslaught against freedom and dignity of the human person. Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, made this assertion in Port Harcourt at a meeting with MOSOP Coordinators and Leaders on Tuesday.

Nsuke said Shell has acted very irresponsibly in Ogoniland, sponsoring terror against the Ogoni people and aiding Nigerian soldiers to suppress the Ogoni agitation against human rights abuses.

“It is very disturbing that we have said we do not want Shell, its agents or representatives in Ogoniland, yet, the company continues to force itself on us. Let it be known that we reject Shell in Ogoniland and the only thing we want the company to do immediately is to fund the cleanup of its mess in Ogoni,” Nsuke said.

Nsuke said Shell’s attempt at jettisoning the position of the Ogoni people as documented in the ‘Ogoni Bill of Rights’, the company’s alliance with government appointed chiefs and Nigerian soldiers to repress the genuine wishes of the people are very disturbing and signals Shell’s attempt to re-ignite its strategy and policy of “wasting operations” through which it sponsored the killing of over 4,000 Ogonis and the hanging of our leaders in 1995.

MOSOP, according to Nsuke, “wishes to state that our resistance against this war by Shell will be sustained by all legitimate means possible.

“We assure the Ogoni people of our determination to prosecute the mandate handed down by the people of Ogoni to speak on its behalf to address the injustices perpetrated against the flock.

“We assure the Ogoni people of our commitment to stop Shell and the Nigerian government from further abuse and denigration of our collective dignity.

“We urge the people to continue to support our non-violent approach at this crucial moment of our struggle against Shell and the deprivations against our people in Nigeria.”