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Why Shell’s attempt to return to Ogoni land is considered insensitive

Shell Petroleum Development Company has issued a renewal request for Oil Mining Leases (OML11) in Ogoni land after consistently maintaining that it is not interested in returning to the area.

The Guardian obtained a letter, written by Shell and dated October 16, 2017, to the Minister of State for Petroleum, seeking the renewal of its lease due to expire June 2019. This new development has resulted in rising tensions.

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates (KSWA) have already made moves to intensify the mobilisation of the people in the area for a possible showdown with authorities over the development which is coming when the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report for the clean-up of Ogoni is yet to be implemented.

The letter read in part:

“By way of background, these leases are valid for 30 years from 1989 and so due for renewal before June 2019. Our application is made pursuant to Article 13(1) first schedule of the Petroleum Act, which requires the lessee of an OML to apply for renewal of its lease not less than 12 months before expiry.”

Shell disclosed that the renewal of the lease for the Ogoni oilfields and others will enable it and joint venture partners continue contributing to the Federal Government’s agenda for the nation through oil and gas promotion payment of royalties, taxes and levies and support for local communities.

According to a report published by the Guardian Nigeria, Shell’s request came on the heels of a letter written to it four days earlier by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), noting that a company, RoboMichael Limited, had expressed interest in obtaining the licensing rights on the oilfields.

Guardian reported that NAPIM has told Shell to initiate discussions on potential partnership, with the aim of exploring possible means of resuming crude oil and gas production. Shell was also directed to inform all its partners of its engagements with RoboMichael, and also secure necessary approval should an agreement be reached.

Former President of MOSOP, Ledum Mitee, has said about the development that Shell’s bid to renew its license in Ogoni, 23 years after Ken Saro-Wiwa and other prominent Ogoni were killed by the military, reeks of insensitivity. He further explained that while the Ogonis have not ruled out the resumption of oil production in the area, it would be inhumane for anyone to start contemplating this when the UNEP report has not been implemented.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Environment, Malam Ibrahim Jibril revealed in April that the Federal Government had completed timetable for the clean-up of hydrocarbon impacted communities in four Local Government Areas of Ogoni land in Rivers State, in line with the UNEP 2011 recommendations.

Mitee said it was heart-breaking that despite the recommendations, Ogoni people still drank water from wells contaminated with over 900 times the level of cancer-causing benzene allowed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

On his part, the National Coordinator of KSWA, Gani Topba said the KSWA has already written the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria not to approve any foreign funding sought by RoboMichael for the development and operation of Ogoni oilfields. He explained that Ogonis are fully mobilised to resist any attempt by Shell through any proxy to reclaim the license to explore oil in Ogoni land, while the fundamental issues that led to Shell’s abrupt exit from Ogoni in 1993 remain unsolved.

Why Shell Abruptly left Ogoni

Shell started oil exploration in Ogoni from a village called Kegbara Dere, in 1958. Since then there has been complaint of disrespect for the people. From high hurdles of Shell’s pipelines carelessly laid on the surface of the land to cases of Shell staff mistreating Ogonis and blocking footpaths to farmland and spillage, so much so some claimed the sight of crude oil was as common as water. Pipeline barricades were likened to landmine as there were cases of individuals who were victims of explosions which take the same format.

With pipeline barricades came flooding. So much flooding, some communities were partly submerged in water during the rainy season.

The Shell flow station and gas flare sites were situated less than a mile from the community’s schools. Noise pollution from these facilities and earth tremors interfered with the learning process and the people were largely helpless as there was little or no government control on the activities of Shell. Crude oil spillage killed crops and fishes, hence frustrated farmers. Acid rain resulting from gas flare and evaporation of spilled crude oil into the atmosphere was consumed as drinking water. Radioactive carcinogenic materials used in the drilling process predisposes the local population to the risk of cancer and other neoplasms. This lasted until January 4, 1993.

MOSOP, under the leadership of Ken Saro Wiwa, mobilized the largest non-violent protest march in Africa with 300,000 Ogoni men, women, the young and the aged. Shell was declared per son non grata and asked to quit Ogoniland on January 4, 1993, after all efforts to get the transnational oil giant to pay backlog of rent and royalties and clean up their acts failed.

On its part, Shell explains that just 3% of its exploration activity was in Ogoni land.

It says that By in November 1992, MOSOP was demanding US$6 billion in royalties from past oil production and US$4 billion for alleged environmental damage, and Shell was given 30 days to accept or leave Ogoni land.

It had to stop activities after much violence against its staff and action targeting its facilities.

It explained that violence in  Ogoni land continued after it left and in May 1994 four prominent Ogoni leaders were murdered by a mob. Ken Saro-Wiwa (President of MOSOP) and eight others were accused of complicity in the murders, tried by military tribunal in 1995, found guilty and executed.

It also claims that it continues its SPDC’s community development programme in the area despite the fact it is no longer an oil producing area.  Although it agrees Ogoni land continues to serve as a transit route for pipelines transporting both SPDC and third-party oil production from other areas.

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