The women of the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have vowed that they would go on a nude protest if the Federal Government did not back down on panned oil resumption in their area.
In a statement jointly signed by about 15 women groups of the area; Mba Okase Initiative, Eedee Ladies of Tai, De Voice of Eleme Women Association, League of Queens International, Gbogbia Feefee Women, Lekeh Foundation, among others, they moved for FG to focus their energy on resolving other key issues in the area.
Further in the statement as it was revealed on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the women said their land was not yet ripe for oil exploration mentioning that they were pressing issues that led to the discontinuation in the first place adding that the FG need to address such issues first before planning anything related to oil.
During their interview with newsmen, some of the leaders of the groups made their statements narrating their pain.
Lezina Pat Ntetep, the Coordinator of Eedee Ladies of Tai said;
“It is disconcerting that in the ongoing frenzy to resume oil extraction in Ogoniland, the concerns raised in the Bill of Rights which led to the termination of oil extraction and the repression of the people, have not been addressed.
“Similarly, there has been no attempt to secure justice for the countless families that lost lives, livelihoods and properties in what is still the worst attack on a peaceful Indigenous population by Nigerian security forces.
“Persons who committed acts of genocide and abuses against unarmed populations, and boasted publicly about it, have still not been brought to justice.
She said this while reading the statement titled ‘Ogoni Oil Again in the Eye of the Storm, Ogoni Women Stand Against Oil Resumption in their Land’.
Meanwhile, it was the Leader of Mba Okase Initiative, Dr Mrs Patience Osaroejiji, who mentioned the plan of nude protest during her interview with newsmen.
She said; “If as we have taken position today and the government goes ahead to resume, we the women of Ogoni will come out en masse and protest naked until the world hears us.”
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