The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has denounced “the current military-backed laying of pipelines in K-Dere in Gokana local government area and other parts of Ogoniland by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Shell International.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Publicity Secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, the group said: “We see the current invasion of parts of Ogoniland by Shell with the backing of Nigerian soldiers as a clear signal to Shell’s determination to kill local people and members of civil society groups especially MOSOP who have consistently protested against oil resumption in Ogoni without a broad-based engagement with the Ogoni people.

“MOSOP maintains that oil-related activities in any art of Ogoniland must be properly negotiated, not forced and must be done in good faith with the people’s free, prior and informed consent.

“We recall that Shell’s injustices in Ogoniland had sparked up a conflict between the people, the government and the company since 1993. Consequently, over 4,000 Ogonis were killed by Shell-sponsored repression executed by Nigerian soldiers between 1993 and 1999,” the statement noted.

MOSOP also said: “The current affront by Shell is clearly another plot to further dehumanise, kill, abuse, rape and torture our people.

“MOSOP strongly condemn Shell’s penchant for human rights abuses and disregard for the wishes of the Ogoni people. We insist that Shell will not push forward forceful resumption of oil production in the region and that Shell will end its use of Nigerian soldiers to intimidate, harass and torture of our people.

“We are deeply concerned about the danger posed by Shell's presence in Ogoniland particularly as it affects the safety of local people who have consistently protested against the company.”

MOSOP demanded that Shell immediately withdraw its facilities from Ogoniland and desist from further actions that threaten “the peace and security of our people.”