Gunmen have killed two pipeline monitors in the Bodo community in the Gokana local government area of Rivers State, throwing the area into mourning.
The deceased youths, namely Wisdom Pilla and Barioma Dutu. who were part of a team assigned to provide security surveillance at the recent site of an oil spill within the community were attacked by gunmen last Saturday.
Five others sustained bullet wounds including Charles Saago, Tombari Akere, Lekaga Agbi, Oliver Nyimaage and Barinem Pigalo.
Coordinator of MOSOP in Gokana kingdom, Snr. Apostle Celestine Baribefe Viula who confirmed the deaths said the community has reported the matter to the divisional police in Gokana but the police were yet to act on the incident.
Viula explained that the youths had been mandated by the community to keep watch over a recent oil spill site pending the completion of investigations into the cause of the spill and repairs on the affected pipeline.
He said, that at about 2 a.m. on Saturday, August 26, the youths were attacked by some gunmen leading to two deaths while others sustained gunshot injuries.
President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke in his reaction condemned the attacks describing it as barbaric, very painful and unfortunate.
Nsuke expressed his condolences to the families of those affected urged the Police to investigate the crime, and called on the people of Bodo to do all that is necessary to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
Nsuke alleged that “the incident wouldn’t have happened if not for the presence of Shell’s pipelines in the area
“The latest shooting resulting in two deaths is very barbaric and we strongly condemn these acts of violence. My heart goes to the families of those who have suffered pain and lost loved ones in this incident”, Nsuke said.
“These are all consequences of natural resource extraction. It is unfortunate that while we suffer the consequences of this exploitation, we are told not to talk about the benefits which are distributed to all states in Nigeria and we get nothing because our political rights to function within Nigeria as Ogoni people are being denied”.
“We demand an investigation and we will want to see the outcome of the investigations into these” he said.
