Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

Dr. Lere Amusan
shell did in the 1960s in a bid to consolidate its grip on the economy
of Nigeria was later repeated in 1995 when security bills would be
picked by the company on behalf of the Federal government in the
Niger Delta.
During the MOSOP uprising against the oil companies, the Shell
Petroleum international met in London and The Hague in February
1993 to decide what to do on the scale of crises in the Niger delta. The
communiqué issued at the end of the meeting called for close
monitoring of the activities of the MOSOP with special focus on Ken
Saro Wiwa. The worry of the Shell, resulting from the Ogoni Bill of
Rights presented to the federal military government with some
element of secession arm-twisted the Abacha government to hand
down capital punishment on the MOSOP leaders in November 1995
(Osaghae, 1995: 326). With the import of the Shell towards the
economic development of Nigeria and a major source of foreign
exchange earnings, the government went into alliance with oil MNCs
in order to neutralise the MOSOP and its leaders. Series of means
were adopted to ensure free flow of crude oil to the international
market. Crises among ethnic groups such as the Ogonis, the Andonis,
the Okrikas and the Ndokis were severally sponsored by the federal
government in connivance with the oil companies. This takes several
forms such as financial compensation to an ethnic group against
others. Also, provision of employment opportunity in form of security
to secure oil installations in neighbouring villages is sometimes used
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