1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,279 Speaker 1: Over the past few years, the fossil fuel industry's focus 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has increasingly been on Africa, where it is fast tracking 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: new fossil fuel development and infrastructure, and often talking about 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: it as a way to pull Africa out of poverty, 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: despite the fact that a lot of the oil being 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: produced there and moved around is ultimately for exporting to 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: global North countries, which oil majors will profit off of, 8 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: but developing countries maybe not so much. Proponents of this 9 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: build out often talk about how it will bring both 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: development funding and the money necessary to adapt to climate change. 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: For countries in Africa. They talk about rampant energy poverty 12 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: on the continent. That's the term used to describe lack 13 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: of access to consistent power in a lot of ways. 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: It's a real indictment of international climate negotiations that countries 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: in Africa and other parts of the global sete South 16 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: feel like they have to depend on oil majors to 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: pay for climate adaptation. We've talked about that before, especially 18 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: in our season on Exxon's project in Guyana. In the 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: absence of the money that's long been promised, first as 20 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: climate reparations and then as loss and damages, many countries 21 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: feel like they can't really escape extractive industry. Unfortunately, it's 22 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: also pretty unlikely that fossil fueled development will actually pay 23 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: off for these countries In Africa, Nigeria, the country with 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: the oldest, largest, and most established fossil fuel industry on 25 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: the continent, is a prime example. Nigeria currently has the 26 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: world's lowest energy access rates, and while oil and gas 27 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: has made a handful of elites wealthy there, that benefit 28 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: has not extended to the vast majority of Nigerians. They 29 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: have experienced the lion's share of contaminated water and soil 30 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: oil spills, though, all of which has driven decades of 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: protest against oil drilling projects in the Niger Delta and 32 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: a corresponding backlash to that activism from both government and 33 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: oil majors. Next year marks the thirty year anniversary of 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: the killing of the Ogoni nine activists who had fought 35 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: against Shell Oil's activities in Nigeria and were arbitrarily hung 36 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: after an unlawful arrest and unjust trial. Shell has been 37 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: accused of being complicit in those murders, though never held accountable. 38 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: In the decades since that event, despite facing intense and 39 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: often violent repression, activists have continued to shine a light 40 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: on the destruction that fossil fuel development has brought to Nigeria. 41 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: Today, Ugochi Anyaka Luigo takes us to Ogoniland to bring 42 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 2: us the story of those activists' long fight, how they've 43 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: stuck with it for so many years and some of 44 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 2: their recent wins. That story is coming up after this 45 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: quick break. I'm Amy Westerbelt and this is drilled. 46 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 3: It's a cloudy day in Buri and Ogni community in 47 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 3: Nigeria's Nigerdelta region. Hundreds of people are guarded here to 48 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: remember the struggle, suffering and killing of thousands of Organi 49 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 3: people in a brutal government supported crackdown of peaceful demonstrations 50 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 3: in the nineteen nineties. Orguni people were non violently protesting 51 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 3: the devastating impacts of oil exploration by Shell Nigeria, a 52 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: subsidiary of Royal Dotch Shell Oil Company, on their land. 53 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 3: Every November ten, memorial events like this one ahead in 54 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 3: several cities across the world. It was on this day 55 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 3: in nineteen ninety five that activists Kenu Le Sararewa, John Wayna, 56 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 3: Dr Barnam Kobell, Paul Levra Barry Bombera, nor Do I 57 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 3: will Saturday Dorbe, Daniel Boko and Felix Noirte were executed 58 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,239 Speaker 3: under the military leadership of General Sania Baja. Their arrest 59 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 3: and hasty judgment were backed by Shell march into Ken 60 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 3: Sararella's home and final resting place. Children and adults are 61 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 3: holding banners with messages like leave orguny oil in the ground, 62 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 3: climate justice now, Shell out of Niger Delta and their 63 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 3: new slogan for shell Shell bringing hell to the Niger 64 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 3: Delta since nineteen fifty eight. On their way, they are 65 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 3: stopped by police officers standing in front of the Bory 66 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 3: police station. After a brief standoff. Activist Bernie Friday addresses 67 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 3: the crowd. 68 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 4: No, no, that can so muche everybody today He's a 69 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 4: freedom for the day to day. 70 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 5: He's a day now. You're gonna be bore. 71 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 4: Declare as a interna should have freedom day true today, 72 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 4: maggot the twenty address. After the killing of our father 73 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 4: and our hero, can't sell Rivera and. 74 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 5: Not on us. Today the youth are coming together. 75 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 4: Don't know be laws, don't fall first together and demand 76 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 4: or God in justice our father, love father, cancel We 77 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 4: were is alive and you're gonna good after me oh Glli. 78 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 5: Bibo, you're not that different that your stall afterne me 79 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 5: oh golli. You know that. 80 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 3: Sains The discovery of oil in Agni in the late 81 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 3: nineteen fifties. The region has produced about thirty billion dollars 82 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 3: worth of oil. It has also experienced six thousand, eight 83 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 3: hundred and seventeen oil spills between nineteen seventy six and 84 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 3: two thousand and one alone, accounting for over two million 85 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 3: barrels of pollution. The region's economy previously relied on farming 86 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: and fishing activities. The spills destroyed the village of Goi, 87 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 3: a traditional Fisian village, was declared unlievable. Inhabitants had to evacuate, 88 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: but were never properly resettled or given any compensation or 89 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 3: antiquate support. The money taken from their land did not 90 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 3: translate to development, a better line life, inclusivity, wealth, or development. 91 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 3: It did not bring the basics like water, electricity, hospitals, 92 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 3: good roads, or schools either. As the Orgoni people began 93 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: to assert their rights, their protests were occurred using force, 94 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 3: a pattern that continues today. Any opposition to oil production 95 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 3: is seen as a threat not only to the economy 96 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: but to the political system. Offices of environmental rights organizations 97 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 3: have been raided, generally targeted, and in five years thousands 98 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 3: of Orgones were detained or beaten by the River State 99 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 3: Internal Security Task Force ISTF, a military body especially created 100 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 3: by the Abacher administration in nineteen ninety four to suppress 101 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 3: the protests organized by the Movement of the Survival of 102 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 3: the Orgoni People. Mossop Shechell provided the ISTF with logistical 103 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: support and even rewarded them. Shell paid the commander at 104 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: the time, Major Paul o'cuintimore, and twenty five of his 105 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 3: troops and quote honorarium as a show of gratitude and 106 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 3: motivation for a sustained favorable disposition. 107 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 6: The response from the authorities, like the police, whenever there 108 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 6: is say, protest against oil companies is always different from 109 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 6: how they respond to other protests. 110 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 3: Fine Face dom Nominee is an environmental activist from Ogoni. 111 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 3: In nineteen ninety three, the government banned public gatherings and 112 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 3: declared that disturbances of oil production were treasonable offenses. As 113 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 3: the military invaded communities. The killings which had started in 114 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety became even more brutal. About four thousand organes 115 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: were murdered and women someone's young as thirteen years old 116 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 3: were ripped by the Maroudin soldiers. Hundreds of those who 117 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 3: were able to escape to neighbor in countries like ben 118 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 3: A Republic have not returned to the ancestral homes since then. 119 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 3: Bene hosts a community of over one thousand, two hundred 120 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 3: Orgoni refugees living in camps on the terrible conditions. They 121 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 3: remain stateless and unable to integrate into Benin Nuits society. 122 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 3: They are also unable to work as they depend on 123 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 3: handouts by angels, churches and generous natives. In nineteen ninety nine, 124 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 3: Fine Boy Cuckoo, a former print journalist and member of MOSSAMP, 125 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 3: escaped to Benar Republic. He lives in a crammed single 126 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 3: room with his wife and four children. He spoke to 127 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: me from exile, I. 128 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 7: Have been in Benie Republic for about twenty three years today. 129 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 7: The basic reason why I ran away from Morgoni land, 130 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 7: what was due to my political belief in the ideas of. 131 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 8: Suppressions and they tracked my. 132 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 7: Life, so I have to sneak out of the country, 133 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 7: not that I ran openly a sneak out, A fleed 134 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 7: into the Republic of being for fear of my life, 135 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 7: which I've been persistent as I got into Benie in 136 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 7: nineteen ninety A good registered with the UNIX zero, you know, 137 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 7: thee Nation for High Commission for refugees. Unfortunately, because of 138 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 7: the language barrier and other cultural barrier, we are unable 139 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 7: to fit in. But for the sake of life, we 140 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 7: until whatever we passed through, day after day and year 141 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 7: after year. 142 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 9: I'm here with them to save guide us from being kid. 143 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 5: For sure. 144 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:02,199 Speaker 7: Those co activists that were arrested within the time we freed, 145 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 7: most of them have been silently keyed. And the reality 146 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 7: is either your attacked as a court member, you'll be 147 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 7: a xecute even with a question. Some are kids even 148 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 7: where they were taken from the prison or stations where 149 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 7: they kept them for some time. And so I'm even 150 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 7: better up here being alive, nor mark a level of 151 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 7: deprivations and suffering we passed through concerning the land Rude 152 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 7: Acts and the Petroleum out Law. These were two draconian 153 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 7: laws that were from Montay by the military hero of 154 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 7: State General Lucago Bason Job in nineteen summary the Land 155 00:11:55,720 --> 00:12:01,599 Speaker 7: News Acted that whatever is six feet up to the 156 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 7: surface of the belongs to the land Schulna, but anything 157 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 7: seven feet eight feet below belongs to the government. 158 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 3: Leaving his wife and baby. Kuku said he fled to 159 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 3: Beerner Republic twenty three years ago after the targeting of 160 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 3: Ugunius who were in support of Mossop. Many of those 161 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 3: he knew got killed or imprisoned. He also talks about 162 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 3: Nigeria's land used the cree of nineteen seventy eight and 163 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 3: the Petroleum Act of nineteen sixty nine that hans land 164 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 3: and everything underneath to the Nigerian government a continuation of 165 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 3: a colonial policy. The laws gave everything to the government 166 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 3: and technically to the oil companies. 167 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 9: That law is very operational. 168 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 7: It is this law that deprived the land owners of 169 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 7: the resources embedded in their land. Distarvation we go through 170 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 7: most of the time is because we have been discharged 171 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 7: from our environment, from our localities where we used to 172 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 7: stay peacefully as Ugune people. So the suffering here is 173 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 7: quite above us. That is why you can see many 174 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 7: of us are sick. Have so many ideas. We organize 175 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 7: ourselves to do minion jobs. We don't even have official 176 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 7: documents or recognitions as refugee or a salis, which would 177 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 7: have enhanced us been set into the system or to 178 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 7: be considered. 179 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 9: For any little or meiger employment that the case maybe. 180 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 3: Cuckoo said that many asylum applications were rejected because of 181 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 3: Better Republic's decision to stop granting refugee status to Orgonese 182 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 3: in Benet since the year two thousand. In two thousand 183 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 3: and four, the UNHCR decided that Ogoni refugees can now 184 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 3: return safely to Nigeria since military rule has ended. But 185 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 3: for those like Cuckoo, home is still not safe enough. 186 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 7: Well, we port our children, most of them with tired 187 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 7: bad papers, because what removed us from home is still there. 188 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 7: If you go to Gone, you will not see any protests, 189 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 7: no matter the trauma, no matter the oppression, no matter 190 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 7: the oppression, no matter the killing. What they call curtism 191 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 7: is the legal metal the government of employed to kid 192 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 7: the ute, and the ute are their prime target. 193 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 3: Angered by the resource and justice and pollution, armed groups 194 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 3: started attacking oil installations and kidnapping oil staff in the 195 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 3: early two thousands. This morphed into courturism and gang violence. 196 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 3: Cuckoo says that the government still targets are going to use, 197 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 3: but this time under the guise of tackling contuism and islands. 198 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 9: There is no possibility. 199 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 7: I cannot see in the near future the hope of 200 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 7: wimber And to the precise, we miss whole. Everybody missile 201 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 7: even most of the time it's our children. They asks 202 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 7: us are we from this country? They ask a lot 203 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 7: of questions. Refugee is not a suitnam to bear because 204 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 7: it engaged a lot of trauma, so much pain and pressure. 205 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 3: Nigerian security forces that sometimes also arrested, beating or intimidated 206 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 3: relatives of activists. In nineteen ninety seven, the mother and 207 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 3: sister of Organese student activists Sony Kobo were detained. 208 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 7: While my wife let also in the year two thousand 209 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 7: too made me up in Cotton Been Republic. I my 210 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 7: wife was left at home because my time I life 211 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 7: that night, there was no way I could even get 212 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 7: them proper information. You know, women, but on her own, 213 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 7: why does security keep coming to ask for the husband 214 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 7: that I must be produced. 215 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 9: Next the way the girl in my position. 216 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 7: It was then that she complained to some of my 217 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 7: working colleagues that were closer to us about Imborian protacot 218 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 7: who organized for her to run towards then a Republic 219 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 7: to look for her husband since there was no way, 220 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 7: no hope of bringing me back because if I'm seen, 221 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 7: they were all aware that of what will happen to me. 222 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 7: So my wife had to run after me with the kids. 223 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 7: It was early Sunday morning. She arrived where we stay. 224 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 7: If she was at them and maybe she would have 225 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 7: been kid. 226 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 3: From the nineteen nineties till twenty twenty three, physical protests 227 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 3: in Nigeria have become increasingly dangerous. In May twenty twenty three, 228 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,719 Speaker 3: a bill that provides a five year sentence for illegal 229 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,959 Speaker 3: protests past a second reading in Nigeria's House of Representatives. 230 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 3: This comes on the heels of the end SAS protests 231 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 3: that rocks Nigeria in twenty twenty. It's not the SAZ 232 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 3: you might be thinking of. In Nigeria. SAS is an 233 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 3: acronym for a police task force called the Special Anti 234 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 3: Robbery Scord. Beginning on October four, twenty twenty, and through 235 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 3: the next few weeks, thousands of Nigerian youths took to 236 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 3: the streets to protest decades of police brutality and extrajudicial 237 00:17:50,119 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 3: killings often committed by the squurt. During the protest, the 238 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 3: Nigerian army opened fire on un aimed peaceful protesters and 239 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 3: killed fifty six of them. According to Amnesty International, the 240 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 3: brutality of the end SAZ protests left a mark in 241 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 3: the hearts of This granted Nigerians, especially the younger population, 242 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 3: so much so that when the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinobu, 243 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 3: in his first speech announced the removal of fuel subsidy 244 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 3: and assistance provided by the government to reduce the price 245 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 3: of fuel for consumers, Nigerians braced for suffering instead of protesting, 246 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 3: like the deed in twenty twelve, when former President could 247 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 3: Lock Jonathan made the same announcement. With protests becoming increasingly 248 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 3: deadly a grief people in oil polluted communities have found 249 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 3: ways to get justice. Some seek it in the courts, 250 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 3: but not Nigerian courts. Although the US Supreme Court has 251 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 3: struck down the idea that that a multinational firm can 252 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 3: be held accountable in its home country for its actions overseas, 253 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 3: both the UK Supreme Court and the Dodge High Court 254 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 3: have agreed to hear cases against Shell brought by Nigerian communities. 255 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 3: In twenty fifteen, thousands of community members from the border 256 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 3: region suit Shell over the impact of chronic spills in 257 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 3: the area and received a settlement of more than fifty 258 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 3: million pounds. And even in twenty twenty three, post brexits, 259 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 3: the UK Supreme Court agreed to hear a case filed 260 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 3: on behalf of thousands of Nigerian fishermen against Shell. Elizabeth 261 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 3: Riscol is a law student at the University of Bristol 262 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 3: and jurist UK chief of staff. 263 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 10: In that landmark decision being made in the UK, all 264 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 10: cases that are involving Nigerians wanting to sue Shell are 265 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 10: likely to go to the UK first in the future, 266 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 10: especially if they're of this size, you know. So we're 267 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 10: unlikely to see any more Dutch cases or Nigerian cases 268 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 10: because there's now a relationship set up between the courts 269 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 10: and this judgment. 270 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 3: In January twenty twenty one, after thirteen years of litigation, 271 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 3: a Dutch court rule that shares Nigerians Subsidiary is responsible 272 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 3: force pills that polluted Goi rumor and they catered outdoor communities. 273 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 3: The company paid fifteen million euros in compensation. In early 274 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three to be shared among the three communities. 275 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 3: The twenty twenty one You Never report on Okaney indicates 276 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 3: that one billion US dollars is needed for the cleanup 277 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 3: of Okney pollution every door from GOI is among the 278 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 3: farmers who won the case. 279 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 11: As I speak with you, some people have not even 280 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 11: received their own due to some unexpected issues that arises 281 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 11: as a result of wrong information from their banks. Not 282 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 11: everybody has got in their compensation, but for me, I've 283 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 11: gotten my majority of the people have got in their compensation. 284 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 8: The money that was paid was used for the renovation 285 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:14,440 Speaker 8: of houses. 286 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 9: People use it. 287 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 8: Some people use their own in. 288 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 11: Acquiring landed property and the money were collated and the 289 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 11: using the land where they will now do alone. Some 290 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 11: use their own for business. Most more businesses that we 291 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 11: sustain them. It is some that will not use it judiciously. Also, 292 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 11: this morning, as I speak with you, is very small 293 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 11: and cannot sustain us. The swamp is where our source 294 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 11: of revenue, our source of livelihood comes from our people 295 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 11: solely depending depended on fishing and farming. And because these 296 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 11: streams and the swamp have been polluted, the farmland have 297 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 11: been pulled by crude oil. 298 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 8: Where will they go and where would sustainability comes from? 299 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 11: When our all sorts of sustainability comes from the land 300 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 11: and the sea, so I cannot say it is sustainable. 301 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 11: It is only when the government will maintain their facilities 302 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 11: and ensure that there is no further pollution and ensure 303 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 11: that the livelihood of the people are restored, the mediation 304 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 11: activities take place. That is when we can now sustain 305 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 11: what had been given to us. It wasn't sustainable at all. 306 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 11: It couldn't settle the problems of livelihood that have been impacted. 307 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 11: It couldn't settle the problem of the mediation and restoration 308 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 11: of our environments. 309 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 3: Can Tember Barrido is the coordinates of oil Watch International. 310 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 3: His organization campaigns against fossil fuel exploration in orgony. 311 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 12: I was related because for me, it was a judgment 312 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 12: for the people, it was a judgment for the communities, 313 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 12: it was a judgment for the environment. And it's a 314 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,239 Speaker 12: clear lesson that you cannot cheat the people forever. If 315 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 12: the government does start standing with the people and start 316 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 12: with the multinationals, one day there. 317 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 8: Will be in the talk. Justice is gradually being saved. 318 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 12: Like Sarua said that It's not the only world and 319 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 12: trial Shell another multinational companies are also on trial. And 320 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 12: as I speak to you, the trial of mutinationals all 321 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 12: over the world is gaining traction and the people communities 322 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 12: are winning all over the world. 323 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 3: In my reporting, I have visited Ugani. I've watched fishermen 324 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 3: toil for hours and return with only a handful of fish, 325 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 3: oily nets and broken hearts. I've watched them open crabs 326 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 3: of fish to reveal oil in their gods, no living 327 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 3: thing has a survival chance there. Portable war in some 328 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 3: of the communities is nonexistent. When the tap is opened, 329 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: the smell of fruit oil feels the air. The average 330 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 3: life expectancy there is forty one. As Shell prepares to 331 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 3: sell of its subsidiary and exits Nigeria's on show exploration 332 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 3: to focus offshore, I wonder what the fate of polluted 333 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 3: communities would be. The spills are not just in Ogni, 334 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 3: but throughout the Niger Delta. In May twenty twenty three, 335 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 3: a report published by the Biosa State Oil and Environmental 336 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 3: Commission fingered Shell and other oil majors in massive pollution 337 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:43,479 Speaker 3: in Biosa State. Also in Nigeria's Nigerdelta. According to the report, 338 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 3: shell Any Chevron total and Eggs and Mobile spilled at 339 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 3: least one hundred and ten thousand bars of oil in 340 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 3: Biosa over the past fifty years. Like the Unit Report 341 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 3: or Agony that specified about thirty years for a clean up, 342 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 3: the Bioso spills required twelve years and twelve billion dollars 343 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 3: to be remediated. It means that more cases would likely 344 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 3: make it to the courts. A very Equable is an 345 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 3: environmental lawyer and activist. She spoke to me from the 346 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 3: Country to eight Climate Conference in Dubai where there are 347 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 3: speculations that ironically new all ideals were being signed as 348 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 3: a conference was on the way. 349 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 13: There are so many were so many spopulations as to 350 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 13: the real agenda of the COP and why Uai was 351 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 13: the host country for COP because of course we know 352 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 13: that Uae is an oil rich country and all of that. 353 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 13: But you see there are so many that these are 354 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 13: all speculations. If you say you want to phase out 355 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 13: for silf well and by possive well coming from the 356 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 13: oil and gas industry, it will mean that there will 357 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 13: be a higher commitment financial commitment from the developed countries 358 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 13: or the developing countries, and would there be grants because 359 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 13: if you're giving us loans, the country presently is already 360 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 13: on the recession. But I'm looking at it, I'm perspectible. 361 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 13: What are there's going to be increasing in the oil 362 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 13: and gas sector unless oil and gas is phased out 363 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 13: in Nigeria. They definitely we keep on being litigation issues. 364 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 13: Existence of pollution is of degradationalgation. And of course the 365 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 13: people who keep suing the oil. 366 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 3: Companies ideals at the Climate conference, even as shelf is 367 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 3: to resume oil exploration. In Organy Celesting and Caby Robbery, 368 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 3: coordinator of Organist Solidarity firm, says that the government and 369 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 3: oil companies are trying in different ways to stifle the 370 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,199 Speaker 3: voices of local people. In his words, the. 371 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 6: Plan of the government before that education what to make 372 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 6: organic land and oil feed where no human being we live. 373 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 6: But after the education and they saw international cry and condemnation, 374 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 6: the showers were later withdrawn from oganland after two years. 375 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 6: And that's why some of us see our life since 376 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 6: I was than it is okay because I'm there are 377 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 6: being several leakages. In fact that it is hardly a 378 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 6: week we passed without any serious OI spill. Don't forget 379 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 6: that the transn that that are pipeline, the pipeline that 380 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 6: conveyed every croup oil produced in the Niger Deta to 381 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 6: Borney as PARTI and our passes through a gun line. 382 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 6: And so every time you see explosions, you see leakages. 383 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 6: The warehas of the oil companies are still here. You know, 384 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 6: they don't carry out rotentions, so from time to time 385 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 6: there are leakages and spills. 386 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 3: Our library says one way that Shell and the government 387 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 3: deal with the protests in the country today is to 388 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 3: try to turn some of the more vocal leaders in 389 00:27:55,600 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 3: the environmental movement into allies to divide and conquer. It's 390 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 3: a common tactic deployed by the fossil fuel industry all 391 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 3: over the world, as is another tactic used in Nigeria 392 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:08,959 Speaker 3: in filteration. 393 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 6: As we speak, the movement for the survivor of gun 394 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 6: people have been infiltrated by government and the oil companies. 395 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 6: So the extent that we you now have five different 396 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 6: factions with five different presidents. The only way to keep 397 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 6: movement is to poorarize the movement. 398 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 3: He says. The military and judicial systems have been corrupted 399 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 3: as well. They use the military to chase people. 400 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 6: They adopt divide a rule, get people to bribe them 401 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 6: on the pedal, then they go to then court. 402 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 5: They compare you. 403 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 6: You go to court and they will keep bribing the judges, 404 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 6: bribing the courts until somebody who died that we die 405 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 6: or people get tired, but they all get sick and 406 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 6: can't go to court. 407 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 9: Togel. 408 00:28:53,600 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 6: The current President of Nigeria, presidentbul Ahmed, appointed the former 409 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 6: MASSA president ledle Meete, the only man that survived the 410 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 6: young man he went on trial with cancer Awar. It 411 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 6: was the president of MASA that took over from cancer Awar. 412 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 6: He aretabably appointed or not other board but an emprincible 413 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 6: that did a national patorium compression. 414 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 3: Just to make sure you caught that. In late twenty 415 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 3: twenty three, the President of Nigeria appointed leadle Meete, a 416 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 3: man who stood trial with cancer. We were and took 417 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 3: over as president of MOSSOP. After they were going to 418 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 3: nine were executed to the board of the Nigerian National 419 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 3: Petroleum Corporation. 420 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 9: Well, we went to fight them. 421 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 6: They have spent billions of money bribing people. They want 422 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 6: to kick start by production without addressing the legitimate issues 423 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 6: that they're going to people and that enshineding they're going 424 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 6: to be the right. 425 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 3: In two thousand and five, the Leavin Memorial, an art 426 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 3: installation created from a life sized boss, was commissioned by 427 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 3: the UK Activist collective Platform and designed by the Nigerian 428 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 3: British artist so Carried Douglas Camp to highlight the importance 429 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 3: of transportation in environmental debate. In twenty fifteen, it was 430 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 3: sent as a gift to Aguni people to mark the 431 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 3: twentyeth anniversary of the death of the Uguni Nine, alongside 432 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 3: annivasary flyers designed to commemorate the event. It was seized 433 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 3: by the Nigerian Customs and the Director of Secret Service DSS. 434 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 3: The boss, which had been on display in the UK 435 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 3: for nine years, had Sarawewa's name on the side and 436 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 3: the names of the eight other men inscribed on oil 437 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 3: drums on top of the bus, along with a quote 438 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 3: from Sarawewa I accused the oil companies of practicing genocide 439 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 3: against the Agni in what has been termed a move 440 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 3: to suppress the memory of the mattered activists. It was 441 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 3: seized for its quote political value. It is seen as 442 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 3: a symbol of protests. 443 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 6: The Boss did not commit any offense. 444 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 8: It is just an artwork. 445 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 6: The former head of Customs Nadia Customs, Ahmed Ali, was 446 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 6: the only military officer that sat on the Kangaroo tribuna 447 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 6: the sentence cancer overa to death. 448 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 3: When you learn that the head of Customs who kept 449 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 3: blocking the Boss happened to have been the only military 450 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 3: officer involved in sentencing cancer you were to death in 451 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety five, his decision to block the Boss suddenly 452 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 3: takes on more. 453 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 6: Meaning and so everything in the name of cancer were 454 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 6: should not be honored. And he does not know as 455 00:31:54,840 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 6: a separatest personal biasis from this work. As head across 456 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 6: from Nigeria. The same people that send the Boss send 457 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 6: some flyers the boxes turning the flyers. 458 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 5: We're also seized. 459 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 6: By the DSYS at a different agency of government, different 460 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 6: arm paper flyers, simply because we will use the flyers 461 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 6: for the commemoration of cancer or work. 462 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 3: He says that the government seems to be afraid that 463 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 3: anything celebrating cancer. We were we just inspired, the were 464 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 3: going to people to keep fighting and that's the last 465 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 3: thing the government wants. 466 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 6: We have been pushed at the wall. We are taken 467 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 6: our destiny in our hands. If we see that we take, 468 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 6: we see life we take. But we are not afraid 469 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 6: of what the oppressor we throw at us. They have 470 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 6: divided of our hands. Definitely were prone hunger. 471 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 3: The government ment has used all of its power to 472 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 3: fight against its own people in Uguni on behalf of 473 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 3: foreign oil companies. 474 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 6: The oil companies cannot do without the military and the police. 475 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 6: In nineteen ninety you had this story in a chair. 476 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 6: We had the community people went to the gate of 477 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 6: Share to come back for water and according the riot 478 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 6: policemen that came into Key people out of fear. Community 479 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 6: people ran into the pallas of the king. But these 480 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 6: men that do not have respect for no but they 481 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 6: got into the palace, set the palace on fire, the 482 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 6: key to the king, keys, wise and children and every 483 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 6: present that ran into the palace'll be arrested by military men. 484 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 6: I can't forget one all the time. Myself, Nimmo, Basi, 485 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 6: Chaga and several complexts were there before we knew it. 486 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 6: One trunk load of soldiers. I can't and because up 487 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 6: they didn't tell where they were taken us two. But 488 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 6: the good thing that before they picked phones from us. 489 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:06,240 Speaker 6: We are communicated the journalists they saw it and for them, 490 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 6: hey these people you're here. There are important people and 491 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 6: we were release. I don't know what they would have 492 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,919 Speaker 6: kid us government gave them power to carry arms. 493 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:22,720 Speaker 3: In twenty sixteen, Nigeria's National Assembly as the Customs Office 494 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 3: to release the Boss. The service flouted the directive, so 495 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 3: the organly Solidarity from Nigeria and Social Action found the 496 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 3: lawsuit in the Federal High Court. I reached out to 497 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 3: the Nigeria Custom Service to get their comment on the bus, 498 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,839 Speaker 3: but they did not send back any reply. In June 499 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three, after Connell Hammed Ali left his posts 500 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:48,800 Speaker 3: as Controller General of the Nigerian Custom Service, according Legas 501 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 3: ordered that the Boss be released. Celestine was happy. He 502 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:56,719 Speaker 3: imagined that it will be released right and time to 503 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 3: be fully displayed. On November tenth, twenty two three, he 504 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 3: had plans to dress the Boss in traditional clothes and 505 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 3: honor it in a parade. 506 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 6: The Boss will be on a truck as you tire 507 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 6: uppart on the waste of important people dialdic Boss will 508 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 6: be tied a clock who dressed the boat. Traditionally we 509 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:22,680 Speaker 6: treat the Boss as a human being and a lot 510 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 6: of traditional dances. It will take like three days. 511 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 3: But again he was disappointed, as were his Orgoni kinsman. 512 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 3: The Boss did not make an appearance on this twenty 513 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 3: eighth anniversary. The Nigerian customs did not release the Boss 514 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 3: despite the court order exiling far away USA. The Neebari 515 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:49,320 Speaker 3: Agstin Queynan has never joined the memorial event in Agni. 516 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:53,279 Speaker 3: He is the younger brother of John Wunan, one of 517 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 3: the Orgoni nine. He fled to Benet in nineteen ninety 518 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 3: six and then to the USA three years later. 519 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 8: My elder brother left down. 520 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,719 Speaker 5: Willen was so dear to me. 521 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 14: He was like a father because our father left when 522 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:15,840 Speaker 14: I was like twelve years old. So when he was 523 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 14: the very reason I joined the Movelevo the survivor Na people. 524 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 9: He was a very good Christian. 525 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,279 Speaker 14: Paul Cultimo told me that he was going to kill 526 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 14: me and that was how I escaped the hangman, even 527 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 14: though they would have killed me too. 528 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 3: The night before the anniversary in the city of Portacus, 529 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 3: the crowd had gathered in front of Sarawa's house, a 530 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:41,240 Speaker 3: two story building situated a few meters between the Portacar 531 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 3: Prisons where they organ in nine were incarcerated on the 532 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 3: right and Portacut Cemetery where they were buried before Sara 533 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 3: Wella's exumption on the left. Ken Sarah we were leaved 534 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 3: between the two facilities that sealed his fate. As the 535 00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 3: lead candles and prayed laureate of the Right's Livelihood of 536 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 3: World and one of Time Magazine's Heroes of the Environment, 537 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 3: Nimo Bassi spoke to the new generation of protesters. 538 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 15: The whole lot of young people here tonight who were 539 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:19,760 Speaker 15: not born when this event happened, but they have lived 540 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:24,279 Speaker 15: the experience of what led to this struggle. Children who 541 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,319 Speaker 15: were born after those who are born even today they 542 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 15: are living in Niger data where all those hams are 543 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:32,840 Speaker 15: still happening. 544 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 5: I thought this is a very significant to remind the. 545 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:41,400 Speaker 15: People that look, this struggle is not over, and the 546 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 15: young people was engaged in the struggle. 547 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 3: In October twenty twenty three, another oil spill occurred in 548 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,959 Speaker 3: ky Dairy community of Kukana Local Government Area of River State. 549 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 3: It took Shell five days to stop the Gershian crude. 550 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 3: Chelle had denied that it's old pipe clients were responsible 551 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 3: for spills. As we're producing this episode, I heard some 552 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 3: news from Mogani. 553 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:12,200 Speaker 14: So they are supposed to inform us. They are supposed 554 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 14: to consult the people and tell them that okay, if 555 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 14: we are then routine maintenance which is necessary that they 556 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 14: should do because it is the lack of that that 557 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 14: make oil spillages destroy our environment because of ruptured. 558 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 5: Pipe and. 559 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 8: Five that were laid in the fifties. 560 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 3: Today we in and works for the organization that cancer 561 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 3: Welway started MOSSAMP. In February, several indigenous people from the 562 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 3: ky Dairy community reported seeing men out working on oil 563 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:50,839 Speaker 3: pipes in the region. Share is selling off its own 564 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 3: show business in Nigeria, so no one will show what 565 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 3: was going on, especially as security guard in the science 566 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:01,800 Speaker 3: were aggressive towards curious visitors. Within a few days, it 567 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:06,279 Speaker 3: was confirmed that they were working for Shell repairing pipelines 568 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:06,920 Speaker 3: in the region. 569 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:11,440 Speaker 14: So if they are coming to repair or changing the pipes, 570 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:16,600 Speaker 14: they should never ship our consulted people and let them 571 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:20,200 Speaker 14: know what they are coming to do in their place. Well, 572 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:24,480 Speaker 14: that is not done, and they just one morning wake 573 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:28,360 Speaker 14: up and started digging people's land and proper destroying what 574 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 14: belongs to people. Without consultation or that all those things 575 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:36,280 Speaker 14: are unacceptable and they look it means. 576 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 8: That they don't regard us as people. 577 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:43,680 Speaker 3: There is no respect, no respect from Shell, but also 578 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 3: no respect from the Nigerian government. 579 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:50,760 Speaker 14: He says, government don't own no Gouni. There was agony 580 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 14: before Nigeria. In fact, Agi existed hundreds of years before 581 00:39:55,680 --> 00:40:00,960 Speaker 14: the contraption called Nigeria came in. That was just about 582 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:05,480 Speaker 14: one hundred years ago. And while Ogoni have lived long 583 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:12,280 Speaker 14: longer time longest before that Nigeria we were forcing to Nigeria. 584 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:13,719 Speaker 5: We were living on our own. 585 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 14: There is no nationality in Nigeria that can lay claim 586 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 14: to Aguli that they were ruling the Buddy people before 587 00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:25,239 Speaker 14: the British government came in. And I know that we 588 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:27,960 Speaker 14: are under the people that have a very strong story 589 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 14: that the British can always tell about because of the resistance. 590 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 14: Three times they tried to come to colonize of body 591 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 14: people and they failed. 592 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 3: On the land and in the courts. The Aguni are 593 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:53,160 Speaker 3: still resisting today. Read It's an original Critical Frequency production. 594 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,960 Speaker 3: This episode was reported and written by me Uguchi and 595 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:00,400 Speaker 3: with recording assistance by Immanual we. 596 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:03,640 Speaker 15: Our senior editors are Alien Brown and Sarah Ventry. 597 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:07,200 Speaker 3: Malos Starling contributed reporting to this episode. 598 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 2: Our senior producer is Martin Saltz Austwick. 599 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 16: Martin also did the sound design in scoring for this episode. 600 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 3: And composed much of our music. 601 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:20,000 Speaker 9: A theme song is Better in the Hand by four Known. 602 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:24,759 Speaker 16: Mixing and mastering by Peter Duff, fact checking by Rudan Jan. 603 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 3: Our artwork is by Matt Fleming. 604 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:31,120 Speaker 16: James Wheaton is our First Amendment attorney. The show was 605 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:33,439 Speaker 16: created by Amy Westerveldt, who has. 606 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:37,680 Speaker 3: Helped edit this episode. More stories and documents from this 607 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 3: series are online at Trio dot Media. 608 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 16: You can also sign up for our newsletter there to 609 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 16: get a curated list of the week's most important climate 610 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:48,120 Speaker 16: stories delivered to you weekly. 611 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 2: It's never more than a ten minute read, and people 612 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:53,120 Speaker 2: tell us it helps them stay on top of all 613 00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:54,040 Speaker 2: things climate. 614 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 13: Upgrade to a paid newsletter or podcast subscription for access 615 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 13: to add free early release episode and bonus content. 616 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:04,799 Speaker 16: To support our work, please share this episode or give 617 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,879 Speaker 16: us a rating or review wherever you're listening. It really 618 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:09,640 Speaker 16: helps us to find new listeners. 619 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:12,799 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next week.