Ears went pricky in Rivers State recently when rumour had it that $300 million compensation had just been released to the Ogoni people.
The rumour said the funds were paid into the accounts of some prominent Ogoni persons for onward distribution but feared that the money may never be shared.
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has however come out to debunk the rumour, dubbing it as fake news.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt by the MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke, and made available to media houses by email, the grassroots movement called on the government-backed oil company to desist from inciting fresh conflicts in Ogoniland, but the statement did not show how the oil corporation was implicated.
MOSOP however said the call became necessary following rumours that some monies had been paid by the corporation to accounts of some private individuals to facilitate oil production in the Ogoni area.
MOSOP said it carried out investigations and stated that its findings did not suggest any truths in the rumours.
Moreover, the statement went on, “We have contacted all our allies and affiliates globally and confirmed that no monies have been approved by any agency or government for compensation to the Ogoni people at this time.
“We can also state that to the best of our knowledge, no monies have been paid to any individuals on behalf of the Ogoni people amounting to the tune of $300 million.”
The statement made negative aspersions on the Ogoni cleanup funds and $200 million in private pockets, but that in respect of compensation, “MOSOP wants to state that to the best of our knowledge, the current fraudulent cleanup has not made any provision for compensation.
“MOSOP wishes to reemphasize the need for the NNPC Limited to clarify these rumours while we urge the Ogoni people, particularly, the youths, to disregard rumours which clearly are designed to cause crises against some unnamed individuals and incite an unprecedented crisis to justify another military crackdown in Ogoni.”
The group warns against unfounded allegations to incite the people against themselves and strongly urged Ogoni youths not to fall for what they called deadly weapon set by enemies.
The movement said they were aware of plans to forcefully resume oil production in Ogoni by sponsoring some individuals and politicians to achieve the objective but urged the Ogonis not to fall for cheap blackmails.
MOSOP said their enemies were fond of using divide-and-conquer tactics but warned that incitements against individuals would suggest a hidden plan to cause crises in Ogoni and unleash another military crackdown to eliminate more civil rights actors in Ogoni.
“Let us further state that MOSOP is at the moment, primarily committed to pursue the implementation of the Ogoni Development Authority as an acceptable proposal to resolve the Ogoni issues. We are also pursuing the decriminalization of the nine Ogonis executed by the Nigerian government on November 10, 1995, and will not be distracted by cheap blackmails that are clearly intended to kill the Ogoni people.”
MOSOP thus urged all Ogonis to always check with their local chapter leaders or visit the MOSOP secretariat in Bori for clarifications and direction of the Ogoni struggle at any time.
