Reactions as Buhari considers granting pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa after execution

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday has noted that the federal government may soon grant a posthumous pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists after execution by a former military regime.

Buhari made this known when he received some of the leaders of land led by the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Majesty King Godwin N.K. Giniwa, at the State House, Abuja.

“Despite the grievous circumstances, the Federal Government will consider the request for the grant of pardon to finally close the Ogoni saga,” Buhari told the Ogoni leaders.

Buhari who was quoted by the Guardian, said, “Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring clemency and national integration as part of this Administration’s bid to lay the foundation for genuine reconciliation and bring closure to the issues of Ogoni Land.

“The unfortunate incidents of the early 1990s leading to the loss of lives of distinguished sons of Ogoni Land and the collateral judicial processes are indelible in our memories.”

The President urged Ogoni leaders to works towards protecting national assets like pipelines and other oil installations, saying wilful damages usually create more havoc on their environment and hamper development in the area.

He noted that the Federal Government was committed to the cleaning up of Ogoni Land so that indigenes can regain their lives, return to farms and reactivate economic activities.

Mr Saro-Wiwa, an activist, and eight of his kinsmen, who fought tirelessly for his people and became popularly known as the Ogoni Nine, were sentenced to death on November 10, 1995 by a special military tribunal set up by the Nigerian Government under Gen Sani Abacha who later died in June 1998 inside the presidential villa under mysterious circumstances.

In reaction, Abulegbaa wrote, “Southern Nigeria and indeed Niger Delta are stupid bunch. Buhari and his terrorists Fulani should apologize to the family of Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni 9.

“ Fulani terrorists are the problems of Nigeria and the two Southern heroes, Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, who Malami and Buhari labeled as terrorists stopped to some extent the Fulanization agenda of the cruel and nepotic Buhari.

“Imagine such brazen hoax, Fulani will take what belongs to us, kill us in the process, and all of a sudden move to pardon us.

“Unless Fulani and their terrorism are destroyed, the indigenous people of Nigeria will no progress. What do Fulani contribute in Nigeria? Nothing and their lifeblood is unity of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a misnomer, can never be one and unity with Fulani suckers is death to all of us. Let Fulani know it now that their terrorism will stop when a technocrat and upright Southerner becomes the president in 2023.”