Saro-Wiwa, MOSOP Leaders Were Framed and Wrongfully Executed — Falana!

Reported by Marian Opeyemi Fasesan | Sele Media Africa

Renowned human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has asserted that Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists were unjustly executed by the military regime of late General Sani Abacha. According to Falana, the 1995 executions were a deliberate miscarriage of justice aimed at silencing environmental resistance in the oil-rich Ogoniland.

What Falana Said

• Speaking during a public event on environmental justice, Falana stated:
  “The military junta framed Saro-Wiwa and his fellow activists to crush the legitimate demands of the Ogoni people for environmental protection and resource control.”
• He described the trial as a sham, lacking due process, and noted that international human rights bodies at the time condemned the executions.

Background

• Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer and environmental activist, was the leader of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP).
• He and eight others were executed by hanging in November 1995 after a controversial military tribunal found them guilty of the murder of four Ogoni chiefs — a charge widely believed to have been fabricated.

Why It Matters

• The execution sparked global outrage and led to Nigeria’s temporary suspension from the Commonwealth.
• Falana’s remarks reignite calls for posthumous justice, official apologies, and reparations for the families of the victims.

Citations

1. The Cable NG – https://www.thecable.ng
2. Premium Times – https://www.premiumtimesng.com
3. Vanguard Nigeria – https://www.vanguardngr.com

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