The Ogini protest of 1993 was a major environmental protest by the people of Ogini community in Delta State, Nigeria. The protest was against the multinational oil company, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), which had been accused of environmental degradation and neglect of the community’s development.
The Ogini community had suffered significant environmental degradation due to oil exploration activities in their region, which had resulted in oil spills, gas flaring, and other forms of pollution. The community also claimed that the oil company had failed to provide basic amenities such as clean water, electricity, and good roads.
In response to these grievances, the community organized a peaceful protest in which thousands of community members, including women and children, took to the streets to demand justice and compensation from SPDC. The protesters barricaded major roads and disrupted oil production and transportation in the area.
The Nigerian government responded to the protest with force, sending in military troops to disperse the protesters. The troops used tear gas, live ammunition, and other forms of violence to suppress the protest, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
The Ogini protest drew international attention to the issue of environmental degradation and the impacts of oil exploration in Nigeria. The protest also led to significant reforms in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, including the establishment of a new regulatory agency, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to oversee the development of the Niger Delta region and address the environmental and social impacts of oil exploration.
