TheCable

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has opposed the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni, particularly by an indigenous firm, Sahara Energy.

MOSOP disclosed this in a communique released after its two-day central steering committee meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The communique was signed by Nuyete Biira and Young Nkpah, president and publicity secretary of the movement. The group said Ogoni people must be consulted before any exploration can resume in the area.

“That while we are not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, we are opposed to the primitive and conflict-laden approach being adopted,” the communique reads.

“We insist that for oil extraction to resume, it must be preceded by a broad-based consultation and agreements reached with the people.”

According to the committee, they are rejecting the confirmed understanding between NNPC, NPDC and the involvement of Sahara Energy in any exploration process in the region.

“The committee rejects the confirmed understanding between NNPC, NPDC and some top Abuja based politicians and their collaborators to sublet OML 11 to Sahara Energy, which represents the economic interest of the aforementioned groups,” it added.

“It vowed to mobilise the people to resist any attempt by any company to enter Ogoni through the back door to explore and exploit our oil and gas resources without our social licence.”

In March 2019, Buhari ordered the NNPC to take over the operatorship of the entire OML 11 from SPDC and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Ltd (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It resumed operation in August after a court ruled in favour of the Nigerian government.