Amnesty International on Tuesday called for a criminal investigation against Royal-Dutch Shell energy giant over its alleged role in human rights abuses by Nigeria’s government during its campaign to crush protests against the company in Ogoniland in the 1990s.
In 1993, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) declared that Shell was no longer welcome to operate in Nigeria’s Ogoniland over its devastating impact on the environment caused by oil spills and gas flaring.
According to Amnesty International, MOSOP activists faced numerous human rights violations, including the unlawful killing of hundreds of Ogonis, as well as torture and other ill-treatment, including rape, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.
The rights group said in a report: “that the company was a central player in the events in Ogoniland in the 1990s is indisputable.
“The governments of Nigeria and Shell’s home states, The Netherlands and The UK, should investigate, with a view to prosecuting Shell and or individuals, who were formerly in decision-making or supervisory positions within the company, for potential involvement in crimes linked to human rights violations committed by the Nigerian security forces in Ogoniland in the 1990s.”
According to the report based on company documents, strategy papers, internal memos and letters to officials, Shell stopped operations in Ogoniland in early 1993 citing security concerns, but subsequently sought ways to re-enter the region and end the MOSOP protests.
“Shell repeatedly encouraged the Nigerian military and police to take action to deal with community protests when the company knew this put lives at risk.
“Even when the risks came to fruition, and hundreds of Ogoni women, men and children had been killed or assaulted, Shell went back to the military and asked for their engagement.” the amnesty report said.
The authors of the report said that on several occasions Shell provided logistical assistance to Nigerian military or police personnel, specifically transport.
Shell has always denied that the company was somehow involved in the human rights violations and crimes that were carried out by the Nigerian government and armed forces in Ogonialnd in the 1990s.