The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) is shocked by the decision of the Nigerian government to setup a prison in Ogoni despite our overwhelming rejection of the project. We are equally disturbed by the plans to build military barracks and a cemetery in Ogoniland.
MOSOP considers these projects as death sentences, a direct reflection of the hate for the Ogoni people in Nigeria and government nonchalance to the priorities of the people especially as the prison project had been cited on a land initially meant for the construction of the Integrated Soil Management Center which should support the Ogoni cleanup exercise.
We call for the cancellation of these projects and a halt to further assault on the Ogoni people.
Indeed, the citing of a prison facility in Ogoni only dampens our hope of reintegration following years of state persecution. Prisons, military barracks and cemeteries designed to torture and kill the Ogoni people are a reflection of government disregard for civil rights and we completely reject these.
We are profoundly disappointed that despite the alarming death rate in Ogoni demanding an immediate intervention in the health care system, a speedy restoration of the polluted environment and urgent actions to restore livelihoods destroyed by Shells many years of irresponsible business practices in Ogoni, our government only considers ways to further repress the Ogoni people simply for our oil.
Indeed, these smacks the unrelenting execution of a genocidal programme subjecting our people to physical and psychological torture to death. It means to us that government do not care about the lives and happiness of our people and frightens us that our government remains undauntedly committed to oil extraction even at the heavy cost of Ogoni lives
MOSOP wishes to alert the public of the inherent implication of these actions on civil rights in Ogoni and will hope that the world will not be silent while Nigeria executes this genocide against the Ogoni people.
Signed::
Fegalo Nsuke
President, MOSOP
Bori, Ogoniland
August 18, 2019
