MOSOP Bans Government Taxes in Ogoni

MOSOP Press Statement

Nigeria News

MOSOP Bans Government Taxes in Ogoni

At the 19th Ogoni Day anniversary today, Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at Ken Saro-Wiwa Peace and Freedom Center, Bori, Nigeria.

MOSOP President/Spokesman said: “Five Ogonis were attacked and tortured on 22nd December, 2011 or thereabout. Individuals that committed the offence had claimed to be local government employees and were accompanied by others in police uniforms. Police in Ogoni failed to investigate the complaint. On the 28th of December, 2011 Ogoni youth organized a peaceful protest, but the office of the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officer in Bori had turned them back. MOSOP sent a protest the Rivers State Commissioner of Police. Ogoni native rulers made a trip to Port Harcourt on December 30, 2011 to follow up the matter, but were misinformed that the commissioner traveled.”

“Following heat generated by the tax incident, a resolution was adopted today to authorize the Ogoni people living in Ogoni to fully and freely exercise their individual and collective right to self-defence (as provided by relevant international law and provisions in Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act, Cap 77 of Laws of the Federation under any attack associated with local taxes, levies, licenses, or extortion of money,” Diigbo stated

“Ogonis lost their only means of livelihood – the land. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in its disputed report presented to President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria on August 4, 2011, says it will take 25 – 30 years to clean-up lands after 55 years. Ogonis are mostly farmers and they can’t afford to pay taxes without their lands. So, I think it is very unfair, unjust and inhuman to torture innocent Ogonis for nonpayment of taxes. Where can Ogoni farmers get money to pay taxes? I believe that the Nigeria’s oil company – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Royal Dutch/Shell, Chevron and other firms in Ogoni should pay taxes to Ogonis, not Ogonis,” Dr. Diigbo commented.

Dr. Diigbo was speaking today January 4, 2012, during the 19th Ogoni Day Anniversary at Ken Saro-Wiwa Peace and Freedom Center, Bori-the ancient and modern capital of Ogoni in southern Nigeria. The first Ogoni Day was observed January 4, 1993 to mark 1993, which the United Nations had in 1992, declared as the first International Year of World Indigenous Populations.

A resolution adopted today seeks to establish a radio station to enable Ogonis to use Ogoni languages in educational programs over the airwaves to inform Ogonis living in Ogoni about serious environmental hazards that pose dangers to human lives and others. Other issues addressed by the ten-point resolution, include how to make principles of justice, democracy, respect for human rights, equality, non-discrimination, good governance, Charter of the United Nations, and UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples relevant to conflict resolution, conflict prevention and post conflict reconciliation.

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