Oil Resumption: Protests Erupt in Ogoni as MOSOP, Youths, 31 Other Groups Threaten to Shutdown Process
- Demand Justice For Saro-Wiwa, 8 Others
- Demand Fair Treatment For Ogoni People
In a massive show of solidarity, over 30 Ogoni groups, including the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), its youth wing, the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), its women wing, the Federation of Ogoni Women’s Associations (FOWA), the Ogoni Living Martyrs,, the Ogoni Peace and Unity Forum have staged a peaceful protest in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni to demand justice for Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight, who were executed in 1995 for their advocacy on environmental stewardship and human rights.
The groups who marched in Bori on Monday, March 3, 2025 also insist that for the on-going plan to resume oil production in Ogoni to succeed, it must be driven by MOSOP – the grassroot movement which led the protests that ousted Shell from Ogoni in 1993.
The protesters marched through the streets of Bori, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Clear Ken Saro Wiwa Name now,” “No to forceful oil resumption,” “We want justice for Ogoni 9,” “Ribadu and Mitee leave Ogoni oil alone,” “Stop the Ogoni genocide,” and “No exoneration, no oil resumption in Ogoniland.” They converged at the MOSOP Secretariat, the Peace and Freedom Center, Bori, a media briefing led by the President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke was and the leaders of the various groups addressed the crowd.
MOSOP President, Mr. Fegalo Nsuke, emphasized that the organization’s input is crucial for any oil exploration activities to commence in Ogoni. “There cannot be oil resumption in any part of Ogoni without inputs from MOSOP leadership,” Nsuke declared. “We will not accept any decision that is imposed on us without our input. We will resist any attempt to marginalize us or to ignore our rights.”
Nsuke also highlighted MOSOP’s pioneering role in the struggle for environmental justice and human rights in Ogoni. “MOSOP started this struggle, and we were the first people to demand the return of oil exploration in Ogoni, not the political class,” he noted. “We will not be silenced or ignored in the decision-making process. Any attempt to silence us will be resisted lawfully, nonviolently until we win.”
The MOSOP leader further called President Tinubu to halt the process initiated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and to initiate a more transparent process that accommodates the views of the Ogoni people.
Comrade Barinuazor Emmanuel, President of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP) also reiterated the group’s demands, which include the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, rather than a pardon, as he was denied a fair hearing by General Sani Abacha. “Ken Saro-Wiwa was not guilty of any crime,” Emmanuel emphasized. “He was a hero who fought for the rights of the Ogoni people, and his name must be cleared.”
Other demands include granting operational licenses to indigenous Ogoni companies to drill oil, unbundling OML11, and providing compensation to the Ogoni people. Emmanuel also called for a panel of inquiry into the death of the Ogoni 4, who were killed at Giokoo, allegedly at the hands of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists.
“We want to know the truth about what happened to our brothers,” Emmanuel said. “We want justice to be served, and we want those responsible to be held accountable. We will not accept any decision that is imposed on us without our input. We will resist any attempt to marginalize us or to ignore our rights.”
The NYCOP president emphasized that Ogoni youths want oil resumption in Ogoniland, but the federal government must engage in roundtable discussions with the Ogoni people. “We are not against development,” Emmanuel said. “We are against exploitation and marginalization. We want to be part of the decision-making process, and we want our rights to be respected.”
Emmanuel appealed to the national security adviser to call the Ogoni political class to order, as they may sabotage the president’s genuine intentions. “We are not asking for too much,” Emmanuel said. “We want the federal government to recognize our rights as Ogoni people and to involve us in the decision-making process regarding oil exploration in our land.”
Finally, Emmanuel urged former MOSOP president, Barr. Ledum Mitee, to choose between supporting the federal government or the Ogoni people if he wishes to lead the discussion on oil resumption. “You cannot serve two masters,” Emmanuel said. “You must choose which side you are on. If you want to lead the discussion, you must be on the side of the Ogoni people.”
The protest and subsequent press conference highlighted the Ogoni people’s determination to seek justice and environmental restoration in their region. As one of the protesters’ placards read, “No exoneration, no oil resumption in Ogoni.”
