The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) have expressed solidarity with the people of Bodo community in Ogoni as they took to the streets expressing their disapproval against a fresh Shell oil spill on August 24, 2022.
The Bodo community in Ogoni was shocked by a fresh oil spill occurring on Shell’s facilities in just three weeks after a burst pipe split crude into the same community from Shell’s facilities.
President of MOSOP, 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 Shell 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 against Shell’s carelessness” 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” Nsuke further said.
The MOSOP president further said the spills point to the deterioration of Shell’s obsolete facilities and further highlight the company’s callous attitude towards human health and the environment..
He said the recent happenings is a vindication of the Ogoni uprising against Shell’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 said..
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 cover-up, urged a proper intervention in relief materials and the subsequent compensation and cleanup of the area.
