Newsletter of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People
(MOSOP)
MOSOP
24 Aggrey Road
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Tel/Fax: +234 84 33 17 63
Federal Government, Ogoni Leaders Hold Talks
Officials of the Federal Military Government recently held
talks with the leaders of the Movement for the Survival of
Ogoni People (MOSOP). The talks which took place on May 7
and 13, 1993, in Abuja, were at the insistence of the
government.
The Government team included, among others, the Secretary to
the Federal Government, Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, the National
Security Advisor to Preisdent Ibrahim Babangida, General
Aliyu Mohammed (rtd) and Brigadier H.A. Akilu, Director of
Military Intelligence, while the Ogoni delegation consisted
of Dr. G. B. Leton, Chief E. N. Kobani, Mr. A.T. Badey and
Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The Ogoni leaders presented the grievances of their people
to the government while the security chiefs asked for
clarifications on the demand of the Ogoni for
self-determination, royalties and mining rents on oil
exploited from their land since 1958, the rejuventation of
the ruined environment and representation as of right in all
Nigerian national institutions.
At the end of the talks, it beame clear that all the
security reports sent to Abuja from Rivers State concerning
the struggle of the Ogonis for social justice and equity
were false, malicious and misleading.
So far, Ogoni leaders have held talks with Government on 30
December 1992, 9 January 1993, 13 February 1993, 7 May and
13 May 1993. The generality of Ogonois are worried that in
spite of these talks nothing positive has been offered by
Government. Instead, soldiers are sent to... kill them.
However, the Secretary of MOSOP, Dr. Ben Naanen, described
the recent meeting as cordial and called on the Government
to treat the Ogoni case with the urgency it deserves.
**Reprinted with permission**