Shell Attempting to Elude Liability in Asset Takeover by Rivers State Government
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) is persuaded to make its views known on media reports regarding the takeover of the assets of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in Ogoniland by the Rivers State Government.
MOSOP wishes dispel the media misconception implied in the statement credited to the Rivers State Government and to make its position unequivocally clear that the oil in Ogoniland does not belong to the SPDC and therefore the company not transfer title to assets not owned by it to anybody, group, institution, community, organization or government.
We note that even judging by the highly discriminatory Nigerian laws, the oil in Ogoni legally does not belong to Shell (SPDC) and therefore Shell could not and cannot transfer title to the Ogoni oilfields to any interested party.
Considering the role of the Rivers State Government which led to the eventual murder of 9 Ogonis including our leader Ken Saro-Wiwa 24years ago, this Move is regrettable as it raises serious concerns about our people’s safety, stifles our hopes of a peaceful resolution of the Ogoni conflicts, disregards the concerns of the Ogoni people as documented in the Ogoni Bill of Rights and threatens the peace of Ogoniland.
We further note that the move could lead to further militarization and killing of the Ogoni people and raises serious concerns about the safety and protection of the Ogoni people in Nigeria.
It is, therefore, our position that the said takeover at best could be considered diversionary and an attempt by Shell to elude its liabilities in Ogoniland.
MOSOP will call on all Ogonis not to be apprehensive about Shell’s desperate efforts to escape liability and depreciate the intensity of its crimes in Ogoniland. We urge Ogonis to remain peaceful and law-abiding and assure that the crimes of Shell in Ogoniland will certainly be punished.
Headquarters: Peace and Freedom Center, Bori Ogoni
Email: info@mosop.org.ng, mosoppr@gmail.com
Website: www.mosop.org.ng
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