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Tinubu’s Remembrance of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8 Count for Little until Justice and Reconciliation is Allowed

Tinubu’s Remembrance of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8 Count for Little until Justice and Reconciliation is Allowed
By: Michael Mike
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) have said eulogies by President Bola Tinubu of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni leaders hung in 1995 after they were sentenced to death by a tribunal, count for nothing until proper justice and reconciliation is allowed in the old rich Niger Delta region.
The CSOs, which include Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Popular Participation Africa, People’s Advancement Centre,
Kabetkeche Women Development Resource Centre and Lekeh Development Foundation, in a statement on Tuesday said the statement on Monday 11 November 2024 by President Bola Tinubu through his media aide honouring the memory of Ogoni leaders including Ken Saro-Wiwa who were killed in 1995 for leading the fight for ecological justice in Ogoni and the Niger Delta, where the President stated; “We honour their memory by recognising the sacrifices made and pledging to strive for a future characterised by peace, justice, and sustainable development for all communities, particularly those in the Niger Delta.” And where he equally admitted that “the subsequent struggles of Ogoni leaders to protect their environment from harmful oil exploration were met with severe repression, culminating in the tragic execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other leaders in 1995,” was commendable but action to ensure succour of the people of the area would have made more impact and a proper memorial to the slain martyrs.
The statement read: “As frontline civil society organisations focused on environmental justice, we are delighted that the President has deemed it appropriate to honour the memory of these martyrs of ecological struggle. We are particularly delighted that the President recognizes that they were murdered because they fought to protect their environment from harmful oil extraction activities that had polluted their lands and rivers; and poisoned their people.
“For clarity, it is important to note that the Nigerian military junta headed by General Sani Abacha authorized the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. The nine were instrumental in mobilizing Ogonis under the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), and had issued a set of demands contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights which included calls to the Nigerian government to clean up the Ogoni environment and restore livelihoods of the indigenous people who had suffered decades of reckless oil extraction by Shell.
“MOSOP had called global attention to the poverty, neglect and environmental destruction which decades of oil exploitation had bequeathed the Ogoni people. MOSOP demanded fairer benefits to the Ogoni people from oil, as well as remediation and compensation for the ecological damage caused by the activities of Shell. Their selfless mobilization and campaigning led to the 1993 expulsion of Shell from Ogoniland. The military government responded to this genuine concern with widespread militarization of Ogoniland and the Niger Delta region, mass killings, arson and the eventual executions that left the world outraged. The nine were murdered after the recommendations of a stage-managed tribunal and denied the opportunity to appeal.”
The statement added that: “The statement by the President is the first time since the unfortunate events of 1995 that a government has admitted to the injustice of the killings and repression of the Ogonis. However, it is important that the President goes further in this effort at reconciliation and justice.
“As civil society organisations, we have consistently demanded an admission that the quasi-judicial process which resulted in the conviction of the Ogoni 9 was a mockery of justice orchestrated by the military government with the active collaboration of Shell to quell community demands for resource and ecological justice. What we continue to demand is the complete exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8. This is the only strategy that will bring closure to the thousands of Ogonis who were victims of government-driven repression characterized by murders, rape, torture and forced exile.
“It is important to also note that the body language and the actions of successive governments in Nigeria have not always indicated the need to reconcile and bring about closure. In 2015, a memorial artwork in the form of a bus, designed in memory of the executed Ogoni leaders by friends in the United Kingdom was confiscated by the Nigeria Customs Service. All appeals to the government to release this memorabilia, including an order by the National Assembly and a judgement by the Federal High Court in Lagos, was denied. The bus remains locked up by the Customs Service in Lagos for absolutely no reason beyond provocation.
“We are equally concerned that the Nigerian government continues to make frantic efforts to resume oil extraction activities in the oil wells located in Ogoni territory, after they were shut down in 1993. It is worrying that the government will decide to resume oil extraction when the pollution of the last decades is yet to be cleaned, and the recommendations of UNEP are yet to be fully complied with. How does one explain the fact that a site supposedly being cleaned up will resume full oil extraction activities with all the pollution that comes with it?
“We are deeply concerned about the neglect of key issues around ecological and social justice in Ogoniland. The world recognizes that the people of Ogoni have suffered unprecedented pains and losses on account of oil extraction. No apology has been rendered for the destruction of their environment, the killing of their people, the loss of their livelihoods, the destruction of their villages, the forced exile of their people and the murder of their leaders.These issues must be fully addressed and measures put in place to protect the environment from further devastation.”
The statement advised that: “Flowing from the foregoing, it is our recommendation that the government puts a stop to any attempt to resume oil activities in Ogoniland. It should rather concentrate on remediating the ecological disaster in the area, decommissioning aged oil infrastructure, replacing the lost livelihood of the people and securing justice for the countless Ogonis waiting for closure. We also call on the government to release the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Bus, a sculpture which was confiscated by the Nigeria Customs Service and has been detained for years now for no just cause. This is the time to learn from the Ogoni situation, take note of how difficult remediation and restoration processes can be and commence the steps needed to clean up the entire Niger Delta.”
Tinubu’s Remembrance of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8 Count for Little until Justice and Reconciliation is Allowed
News
NYSC tasks employers to support corps members

NYSC tasks employers to support corps members
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has urged employers to provide an enabling environment for corps members to enable them to contribute to the national development.
The Director-General of the scheme, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, said this at the 2025 Corps Employer’s Workshop, on Thursday in Gombe.
The theme of the workshop is: “Strengthening NYSC/Corps Employer’s Partnership for Improved Mutual Benefits.”
Represented by Aisha Adamu, Director, NYSC North-East Area Office II, Taraba, Nafiu said that while corps members have a task of ensuring nation building, they must be supported to deliver in that regard.
Nafiu said that employers have a tasks of complementing the work of the scheme by prioritising the welfare and security of corps members, to enable them to deliver their best to the employers.
He said the Scheme had provided all necessary information to the employers on what they need to do, adding that strict adherence to the rules had enabled corps members to contribute effectively to the development of the country.
“I call on participants to make individual and collective contributions in shaping the nation building efforts of the corps members.
“It is noteworthy that consistency and fidelity by employers to their roles and practices over the years ensured that corps members turn out fulfilled at the end of the service year.
“In this regard, they should provide corps members comfortable accommodation, organise induction for them to enhance their performance on the job.
“Assign corps members duties commensurate to their qualification for the effective utilisation of their skills. Supervise them effectively and not grant any permission to travel without approval from the State Coordinator,” he said.
Nafiu, however, lamented that in recent times, these activities had not been considered in part or whole, leading to rising truancy among corps members, and reduced productivity at the workplaces.
He said the trend also resulted in little Community Development Service (CDS) projects executed by the corps members.
The NYSC helmsman said the scheme was partnering with the employers to address the identified lapses, to ensure effective management and putting in place the necessary environment to motivate corps members towards nation building.
He urged the participants to use the workshop to proffer solutions towards building an enduring partnership between the scheme and the corps employers to improve service delivery.
Mr Ahmed Abdullahi, Head of Civil Service, Gombe State, advocated for an enhanced relations among all stakeholders towards creating better environment for corps members, to enable them to serve the country better.
Also, Chinwe Nwachkeu, the NYSC Coordinator in the state, commended the employers for their contributions to the welfare of corps members.
NYSC tasks employers to support corps members
News
NDLEA, NARTO Collaborate on War Against Drug Trafficking

NDLEA, NARTO Collaborate on War Against Drug Trafficking
By: Michael Mike
Leaders of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) on Thursday pledged to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to fight the scourge of drug trafficking in the country by ensuring that their members’ truck and passenger vehicles are no longer available for conveyance of illicit drugs across the country.
The commitment was made when the National President of NARTO, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman led other leaders of the transport union on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) at the agency National Headquarters in Abuja.

Othman, while commending the NDLEA’s helmsman courage, vision, and patriotism in the leadership of the agency, said “this visit today is not just ceremonial; it is purposeful and timely. It reflects our deep appreciation of NDLEA’s efforts and our readiness as a key stakeholder in the road transport sector to align with your mission.
“NARTO is acutely aware of the burden we carry. Our truck and passenger vehicles traverse every region of the country, serving as the arteries of commerce and connectivity. However, we also recognize that these same routes are occasionally exploited by criminal elements to traffic illicit substances. We at NARTO are committed to reversing that narrative. We believe that collaboration between our association and the NDLEA is both necessary and urgent, and we are ready to play our part.”
Othman said to achieve the success of the collaboration, there is need for “sensitization and training of NARTO drivers and transport operators on identifying and reporting suspicious cargo or behavior; establishment of joint intelligence-sharing mechanisms to monitor drug trafficking routes and tactics; deployment of NDLEA liaison officers at major NARTO parks and depots across the federation, and public awareness campaigns, using our national footprint to educate drivers and passengers on the dangers of drug trafficking and abuse.”
While reaffirming NARTO’s unwavering stand on the drug scourge, he said “our highways must not be used to harm our nation. We want to see a transport industry that supports security, safety, and the health of our communities.”
In his response, Marwa assured them of the preparedness of NDLEA to work with NARTO.
He said: “I have had good relationship with NARTO since my days in Lagos and I’m glad you’re concerned about the drug problem in Nigeria. We are more than ready to collaborate with at your parks and depots”

He however urged road transport owners to always conduct background checks on drivers they give their vehicles to ensure they are not linked to any drug trafficking syndicate or hooked on illicit substances. This he said will save the transport vehicles owners the risk of losing their vehicles in avoidable crashes or to the government in case they’re caught being used as instruments of illicit drug trafficking.
End
News
Troops neutralise several armed bandits in Niger State, lose one soldier

Troops neutralise several armed bandits in Niger State, lose one soldier
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army have recorded a major success in the ongoing fight against armed banditry in Niger State, neutralising several bandits during a fierce gun battle in Warari village, Rijau Local Government Area.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the operation, which took place on July 22 at about 7:20 p.m., was confirmed in a report received from the Area Commander of Police, Kontagora, detailing a decisive military engagement in the troubled axis.

According to sources, the bandits, believed to be part of a notorious group operating along the Niger–Kebbi axis, were confronted by the military in a coordinated offensive that lasted for hours.
“A reasonable number of the armed bandits were neutralised during the encounter. The operation recorded significant success on the part of the troops,” the sources said.

Unfortunately, the military also suffered one casualty during the operation.
Security forces have been placed on red alert in the aftermath of the confrontation, while intelligence gathering and surveillance operations continue in the general area to forestall reprisal attacks and flush out fleeing criminals.
Troops neutralise several armed bandits in Niger State, lose one soldier
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