MOSOP Restates Condition for Resumption of Oil Production in Ogoni

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Ogoni people in diaspora under the aegis of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People in the United States of America (MOSOP-USA) have listed conditions if the federal government must resume oil production and exploration in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

MOSOP-USA in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the conditions include the creation of an Ogoni State and the payment of compensation to families of the 13 Ogoni martyrs.

The statement, which was signed by the President of the group, Augustine Kpuinen, said another condition for the resumption of oil production is the recognition of November 10 every year as environmental day in Nigeria.

It stated the need to include the Ogoni Bill of Rights in the country’s constitution, adding that the rejection of the conditions would amount to the fact that Ogonis are rejected and considered as not being part of Nigeria.

According to the statement, “The Ogoni Bill of Rights should be adopted and included in the Nigerian constitution. Oil activities in Ogoni have conditions. The oil is covered with the blood of the Ogoni people.

“The resumption of oil activities in Ogoni has conditions. These are the conditions for oil production in Ogoni; an Ogoni State, must be created; the families of the Ogoni 13 should be compensated by the federal government; November 10 should be declared an environmental day in Nigeria, and the Ogoni people should be compensated for all the atrocities committed against them.”

The statement, however, frowned at the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, and called on President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to order for a lasting solution to the crisis in the state.