Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) started oil exploitation in Ogoni in 1958. The only benefit Ogoni has received is environmental degradation and death, which the UNEP report of August 2011 confirms. Shell Ogoni Restoration Team and Sustainable Development Community Relation to issue a baseless contract to attack Ogoni people, Shell Joint Venture with other companies to commit crime-degrading the environment and
killing Ogonis through a baseless contract to raise money from the contract for hiring of Soldiers, Armed Youths, and their contractors for bush clearing on the trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) from Eleme junction to Patrick water side in Ogoni Communities in Rivers State.
Banduka Gbonen the co-ordinator of Ogoni unity forum accused the Managing Director and the country chairman of shell Nigeria Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu who stated that shell inventory in Ogoni land commence with a recent bush clearing in the area. Mr. Sunday maintained that the exercise is an attempt to secretly resume oil production in Ogoni. This day News Paper dated 11 April, 2014 confirms this statement.
Chief Baride Nkpee Chairman Tal-Shell Landlord Contractors Association has accused shell of violating the Rights of the land owners in ogoniland for engaging armed youths and soldiers against the landlords for the bush clearing job.
In another development, Chief Saturday Koo Chairman, Kegbara-Dere principal landlord indigenous contractors association in Gokana Local Government Area alleged that shell has started its usually killing in Ogoniland as occurred some years ago when Ogoni people chased the company out of the area that resulted the murder of former president of the Movement For The Survival Of Ogoni People (MOSOP, Mr. Ken Saro Wiwa, in 1995. He lamented the forceful entering of shell into the Ogoniland using their brothers and children against them.
Speaking to journalists, he said that Kegbara-Dere his hometown (Bomu Oil Field) has the highest number of oil wells, gaint manifold, flow station and pipelines across the village. The manifold gathers oil from several oil fields through the trans-Niger Pipeline that transport oil to Bonny export terminal.
Chief Koo complained bitterly that shell has no respect for the community and the indigenous contractors in their decision and plan for the community that host their major facilities.
Mr. Peter Osaro, a landlord surveillance contractor accused shell of conniving and adopt the rule and divided system by using some chiefs in Eleme.
In another development Mr. Ngei Chu Ogale alleged that on Tuesday 1st July, 2014 some boys invaded Ogale manifold saying that they have taken over the work from the existing surveillance contractors in an interrogative speech, the boys replied that they are new workers securing the manifolds and attacked his workers on the surveillance job. Mr. Ngei who is an indigenous shell landlord contractor went to police station to ccmplain the violent attack on his workers at the site and the D.P.O directed his patrolling team to go to scene of the crime. This action can cause more serious crisis in the area if not address”, he said. ###
