In an interview with Voice of America”s James Butty in Washington DC, President of MOSOP Fegalo Nsuke said one critical aspect of the Ogoni problems that must be addressed was the exoneration of the nine Ogoni activists executed by the Nigerian government on November 10, 1995.
Nsuke said the innocence of the executed Ogoni activists had been well established and that it was only proper to exonerate them from the crimes which they never committed.
He said it was important for the Nigerian government to show some goodwill by admitting its wrong doings and taking appropriate steps to address its endemic problems such as are affecting the Ogoni people.
According to him, “Nigeria cannot run away from the fact that it connived with the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Nigeria’s subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC to murder Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight others in 1995.”
He said Nigerian government needed to take practical steps to heal deep wounds inflicted on the people during the years of repression.
“These steps will require a courageous apology to the Ogoni people including the exoneration of the innocent souls executed on November 10, 1995, a proper cleanup of the pollution in Ogoni and the payment of compensation for the damages and livelihood losses due to the pollution”, he added.
Fegalo Nsuke was in the United States to attend meeting of the presidents of UNPO in Washington DC. after which he met with several Ogoni communities in various cities in the United States, according to a release by the organisation.
NAN
