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The President of Nigeria pardoned the late activist Ken Saro-Viva, 30 years after his shooting caused global indignation.
Together with eight other companies, Mr. Saro-Viva was convicted of murder, then hung up in 1995.
Many believed that activists punished for leading protests against transnational campaigns, in particular in Nigeria. Shell has long been denied the shooting.
Despite the fact that the sides were welcomed, some activists and relatives say they are not far enough.
In addition to the publication of Sandon on Thursday, Nigeria Bola Tinubo, President of Nigeria, awarded Mr. Saro-Veve’s national awards and his colleagues who were nine.
Nine men – Mr. Sara -Viva, Barinee Kiobel, John Kpoin, Barybor Brest, Felix Niar, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobby, Nord Job and Daniel Gbak – were among dozens receiving awards within the Nigeria’s annual day.
Tinubo said that the awards recognized the “heroes” who made a “excellent contribution” to the democracy of the nation.
Responding to Pardons for Ogoni Nine, campaign groups said they would like the government to take further steps.
The movement for the survival of the people of the fire (MOSOP), which previously ruled Mr. Saro-Viva, called the pardon “a bold act”.
However, Mosap also stated that the pardon implies violations, while there was actually no crime.
The widow of Barinem Kiobel expressed her gratitude to Tinub for his national honor, but called on the president to “correctly announce (her) husband and his compatriots innocent” because “pardon is not provided to the innocent”.
Similarly, Amnesty International stated that the physicality “is not enough justice that needs nine.”
To account for oil companies, it is necessary to do more to consider the damage to the environment in Nigeria, the organization added.
Mr. Saro-Viva, who was one of the leading authors of Nigeria, led people fire in peaceful demonstrations against Shell and other oil companies.
MOSOP has accused a multinational company of pollution, which the locals relied on their livelihoods.
The Nigeria government responded harshly, invading the participants of the rally. After that, nine fires were found guilty of a secret military tribunal of the murder of four fire chiefs.
Their shooting caused outrage in the international community. He was widely convicted as an extrajudicial murder and became a global symbol of the fight against environmental injustice and repression.
Thus, Nigeria was rejected by the Commonwealth group.
Since then, Shell has encountered various judicial processes regarding oil spill and environmental damage in the Niger Delta, the southern region in which the agonland is involved.
In 2021, the Dutch court obliged Shell to compensate for the farmers of the spill that polluting the sites of agricultural land and fishing waters in the Niger Delta. The company agreed to pay more than one hundred million dollars.
Earlier this year, the lawyers representing the two communities of Agonland claimed in the Supreme Court of London that Shell should take responsibility for oil pollution, which took place between 1989 and 2020.
Shell denies violations and says that spilled in the region was caused by sabotage, theft and illegal processing, for which the company says it is not responsible.
The full test of the case was established by 2026.
Additional Chris Evocora reporting
