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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has expressed solidarity with the people of Bodo community in Ogoni as they took to the streets today, expressing their disapproval against a fresh oil spill on the evening of Wednesday, August 24.
The Bodo community in Ogoni was shocked by a fresh oil spill occurring on Shell’s facilities just three weeks after a burst pipe split crude into the same community from the company’s facilities.
MOSOP Factional President Fegalo Nsuke said the community needs to prevent attempts by Shell to put up their usual excuse of blaming innocent communities for their business failures.
He said the people must rise to stop the company from covering up the cause of the spill and downplaying its impact on the health and well-being of the community.
“We are embarrassed to learn of the fresh oil spill in Bodo barely three weeks after a leak into residential areas of the same Bodo community from Shell’s facilities in Ogoni. We are equally impressed with the spontaneous response of the Bodo people who have risen in civil protests,” Nsuke said.
“It is important that the community guards against Shell’s usual design to put the blame on the community for their negligence and attempt to cover up the cause and impact of oil spills in the Ogoni region.”
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The factional MOSOP president further said yesterday’s spills reverberate the deterioration of the company’s obsolete facilities and further highlights the company’s attitude towards human health and the environment.
He said the recent happenings were a vindication of the Ogoni uprising against the oil company’s mismanagement of oil facilities in Ogoni.
“The frequency of these spills vindicates our protests against Shell and speaks volumes regarding the company’s mismanagement of its oil facilities in Ogoni and is only a tip of the iceberg in respect of what we passed through during Shell’s most active years in Ogoni.”
Nsuke urged the Ogoni people to support the Bodo community at this very crucial moment to ensure that Shell is held to account for its pollution of the lands.
He called for a thorough Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to prevent any coverup, urged a proper intervention in relief materials and the subsequent compensation and cleanup of the area.
Daily Sun tried to reach Shell authorities through one of its staff, Mr Michael Akande, to confirm if the facility belongs to the company, but was unsuccessful.
