The Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Global Rights has called on the Nigerian government to formally acknowledge that the Ogoni Nine were wrongfully convicted and executed in 1995, rejecting recent political gestures suggesting a pardon for the group.
In a statement, Global Rights described the notion of a pardon as “deeply troubling,” arguing that it implies guilt where none existed. “What is due is not pardon, but complete and full-throated exoneration, an official recognition that their convictions and executions were unjust, unlawful, and an assault on the right to dissent,” the group said.
The CSO urged the federal government to publicly exonerate the Ogoni Nine and acknowledge their wrongful conviction and execution. In a report titled “30 Years After the Gallows: The Ogoni 9 and Nigeria’s Unfinished Journey to Justice,” Global Rights also called for the full implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations, including a transparent, well-funded, and community-led clean-up of Ogoniland to restore environmental justice in the Niger Delta.
The organisation further demanded that authorities hold polluters accountable, particularly multinational corporations profiting from ongoing environmental degradation, and ensure the safety and rights of environmental and human rights defenders across the country.
Reflecting on the historical significance, Global Rights stated: “The Ogoni Nine are not merely victims of history; they are symbols of courage, conscience, and resistance. As we mark this thirtieth anniversary, we remember that justice delayed is justice denied, and silence in the face of injustice is complicity. May their sacrifice continue to inspire our collective demand for truth, accountability, and a Nigeria that values every life and protects every community.”
The statement recalled the words of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa: “We are going to demand our rights peacefully, non-violently, and we shall win.” It also recounted the tragic events of 10 November 1995, when Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders—Baribor Bera, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbokoo, Paul Levura, Felix Nuate, John Kpuinen, and Barinem Kiobel—were executed following a military tribunal trial widely regarded as flawed and unjust.
Global Rights lamented that, three decades on, there is still no clear indication that the Nigerian government has learned the lessons of the Ogoni Nine’s sacrifice. The CSO concluded by reaffirming that, as the primary duty-bearer for human rights, the government must never place corporate interests above the health, safety, and well-being of its citizens.
