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Human rights attorney, Femi Falana, SAN, asserts that the late environmental rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, along with eight other sons of Ogoniland, were unjustly executed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995.
Falana, as reported by Arise News, shared this information during the Ken Saro-Wiwa 30th Memorial Lecture, which took place at the Banquet Hall of Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Friday.
The senior lawyer reflected on the turmoil that arose in Ogoniland during the 1990s due to the environmental destruction caused by the oil exploration activities of Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC).
During his address on the theme, “Ken Saro-Wiwa - The Man, His Legacies, Struggles and Challenges,” Falana emphasized that the Nigerian State, under General Abacha, in its eagerness to incriminate Saro-Wiwa and silence him and his group permanently, utilized its task force leader, Paul Okutimo, to murder four Ogoni chiefs and falsely accused Ken and his associates of the crime.
“Ken and his comrades did not commit murder; please believe me. What transpired was that the Nigerian State decided, ‘we’re going to deal with MOSOP led by Ken,’ and the only way to achieve this was to allow Shell to continue exploiting your resources without any objection, while charging your leaders with murder,” he stated.
“The murderous junta of Abacha had one Paul Okutimo, the head of the task force. The Nigerian State orchestrated a situation, financed by them, to assassinate the four leaders, including Kobani and others. It was the Nigerian State that orchestrated their deaths.”
“Before any investigation began, Paul Komo, the then military governor, publicly declared: ‘We’re going to hold Ken and other MOSOP leaders responsible for the murder that occurred in Yogbo.’ They (Ken and his associates) were not present. The federal government’s own operatives killed the four leaders. However, the governor announced: ‘We’re going to hold (MOSOP) leaders vicariously liable.’ There is no vicarious liability in criminal offenses. If you commit a crime, you face consequences. You cannot be held accountable for the alleged crime of your son; that’s not sufficient, but that’s what transpired in Ken Saro-Wiwa’s case,” Falana elaborated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the role of Ken Saro-Wiwa in the Ogoni struggle?
Ken Saro-Wiwa was a prominent environmental rights activist who led the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) in their fight against the environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in Ogoniland.
What were the circumstances surrounding the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa?
Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders were executed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995, following a series of trials that were widely criticized as unfair and politically motivated.
