Unknown gunmen have killed two youths who were assigned to provide security and surveillance of oil pipelines at the recent site of an oil spill in the Ogoni community in Gokana local government area of Rivers state.
The victims’ names were given as follows: Wisdom Pilla and Barioma Dutu, while five oil pipeline monitors sustained bullet wounds including Charles Saago, Tombari Akere, Lekaga Agbi, Oliver Nyimaage and Barinem Pigalo.
Apostle Celestine Baribefe Viula of MOSOP in Area, who confirmed the tragic deaths, said the community has reported the matter to the divisional police in Gokana but the police have not investigated incident.
Viula explained that the youths had been mandated by the community to keep watch over a recent oil spill site pending the completion of investigations into the cause of the spill and repairs on the affected pipeline.
Reacting to the incident, MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke condemned the attacks describing it as barbaric, saying that the untimely death was very painful and unfortunate and send his condolences to the families of those affected.
“The latest shooting resulting in two deaths are very barbaric and we strongly condemn these acts of violence. My heart goes to the families of those who have suffered pains and lost loved ones in this incident”, Nsuke said.
Nsuke therefore urged the Police to investigate the crimes, while calling on the people of Bodo community to do all that is necessary to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book to serve and deter others from such acts.
He blamed the Shell Petroleum Development Company for the incident alleging that “this wouldn’t have happened if not for the presence of Shell’s pipelines in the community.”
The President regretted, “These are consequences of natural resource extraction. It is unfortunate that while we suffer the consequences of the exploitation, we are told not to talk about the benefits which are distributed to all states in Nigeria.”
Similarly, he noted that they are not getting anything from the government because their political rights have been compromised so that they cannot function in politics of Nigeria as Ogoni people are being denied.
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