Webjournal zum Flüchtlingskongress vom 21. April bis 1. Mai in Jena	zurück | back

Ogoni killings: Police indicted as residents flee

By Sam Onwuemeodo, Port Harcourt & Victor Ahiuna-Young

SCORES of residents of K-Dere in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State have been fleeing the community in the aftermath of last Monday’s violence which left no fewer than five persons dead.

Initial reports said the violence resulted from clashes between two factions of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), but Secretary General of MOSOP, Mr. Deka Menegbon denied this yesterday, saying the police were responsible for all the killings and destruction of property in K-Dere.

Reports yesterday said residents of the community fearing fresh violence were relocating until normalcy returned.

About a hundred armed policemen have also been deployed to the area to restore order and effect the arrest of MOSOP President, Mr. Ledum Mitee who the police say is their police suspect in the mayhem.

Mr. Mitee’s residence was among the 15 buildings burnt down during the mayhem.

But in MOSOP’s first official reaction to the development, the organisation’s Secretary-General, Mr. Deeka Menegbon said the police were responsible for all the killings, destructions and burning of buildings in K-Dere.

Mr. Menegbon claimed that 15 houses were burnt down at K-Dere by mobile police men deployed to the area, while seven young men from the community were arrested by the police.

He said: "All of the reports of houses being burnt are that the destruction is being conducted solely by Mobile policemen. "MOSOP was able to obtain a list of over 15 houses burnt by early afternoon Tuesday including the house of MOSOP President, Ledum Mitee, to which police returned twice to ensure that the entire compound was razed.

"The police operation appears to include orders for the arrest of MOSOP President, Ledum Mitee. There also appears to be minimal research into Mitee’s whereabouts as he was yesterday (Tuesday) appearing as a barrister in the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja. He has not visited K-Dere since Saturday, April 7.

"Witnesses at K-Dere report that the mobile police have moved on to the systematic burning of houses which continued throughout the afternoon of Tuesday, April 10. The first person shot and killed by the police was Mr. Barinade Gbaraka who died before 6.00 a.m. Witnesses report that local youths, angered by the murder of this person, detained and assaulted about nine mobile policemen.

"The majority of residents who were killed, with most accounts listing about 10 persons and many more injured, occurred after this incident as large scale police reinforcements arrived. After this, the shooting of villagers began to occur on a widespread basis. The population of K-Dere has been driven into the bush. Bodies of those killed are also being held by the police.

"MOSOP is concerned that in addition to the loss of lives, the village of K-Dere may be systematically destroyed over the next two days unless there is outside intervention. MOSOP is also concerned that injured persons are reported to be held at Kpor police station and may not be receiving medical attention.

"MOSOP is calling on the international community to demand an explanation as to why such police operations have commenced in a peaceful area, when MOSOP and the Ogoni people have long standing commitment to non-violence. MOSOP is calling for the immediate suspension of the punitive police actions in the K-Dere area."

But Mr. Menegbon’s position was contradicted by MOSOP Information Officer, Mr. Patrick Naagbanton who said Monday’s violence resulted from Shell’s planned return to Ogoniland to resume operation.

His words:

"What caused the mayhem was that the likes of Mr. Ledun Mitee who claims to be leading dissident faction of MOSOP has succeeded in collaborating with Shell to come back to Ogoniland.

"What he has done is to gather around himself this crop of dissidents to clamour that Shell should come back and that if Shell comes back, local contractors should handle their projects. So the clash is between people who are opposed to any form of Shell’s re-entry into Ogoniland and renegades of MOSOP being led by Ledum Mitee. They are not fighting over money or any other thing. Forget about what some of the media organisations in Rivers State are reporting."

Mr. Naagbanton said most Ogonis were consciously mobilised by MOSOP under the leadership of late Ken Saro-Wiwa and that they were opposed to any attempt to bring back Shell in whatever form.

"We have also found out that agents and betrayers are working with these people in order to humiliate our people. And they are attempting to come at a time when we are about to give our final respect and solidarity to Ken Saro-Wiwa. It is quite humiliating. Even the likes of Ken Saro-Wiwa in their silent grave will not be happy.

"Shell has left Ogoniland. They are nowhere to be found because there is much restiveness in the land now. Any sign of Shell found anywhere in Ogoni land will be very bloody.

"We are not opposed to development. Although we have not never had face-to-face discussion with Shell about their second coming, but we have given them the conditions under which we could consider their second coming.

"These are for 32 years you have destroyed an environment, you have unleashed human carnage on our human population. So what we are saying is that, come and pay compensation to our people for these 32 years.

"After then, undertake a proper and thorough ecological clean-up of the mess in our land. After then, we can now discuss if there is any basis for your coming back if not, our demands are in the Ogoni Bill of Rights of 1990 which we submitted to the Federal Government.

"Shell should leave Ogoni and its people alone. They should remove their remaining facilities from Ogoniland that constitute threat to farming and fishing business in Ogoniland. Anything short of these will not be accepted."

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Krian Dudari said in Port Harcourt Tuesday that the police went to K-Dere to restore order, and to ensure that the violence did not escalate.

When asked whether he was aware that some people were killed, the commissioner responded, "the police went there to restore order and they were attacked by the youths belonging to one of the factions. And in the process of the police defending themselves something could have happened."

Sam Onwuemeodo, Vanguard, 13.04.00