Shell committing crimes against humanity, group alleges

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has described the conduct of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, while it was operating in Ogoniland, as a national shame and crime against humanity.

The group called for the revocation of SPDC’s oil mining lease, OML, 11 license in Ogoniland by the Federal Government.

Factional President of MOSOP, Mr. Fegalo Nsuke, said if Nigeria were a country where citizens’ health and welfare were taken seriously, the oil mining license of Shell should have been withdrawn long before now.

Nsuke made the assertion in K-Dere community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State while conducting journalists around oil spill sites in the Ogoni.

He said Shell’s conduct in over fifty years of operating in Ogoni had been very irresponsible, adding the the firm’s continued retention of the license to operate in Ogoni was not justifiable.

“The conflict between Shell and the Ogoni people had been most devastating leading to the death of thousands of Ogonis and such evil are not so easy to forget.

“It will therefore be right to withdraw Shell’s oil mining license from Ogoni and discuss with Ogoni people on acceptable terms for a new operator.

“What Shell has done in Ogoni is crime against humanity and a national shame that should be severely punished.” Nsuke said.