Amnesty International is asking the Nigerian government to fully exonerate the Ogoni Nine, 30 years after they were executed by the military government.
The group says the presidential pardon issued in June 2025 is not enough, insisting the activists were killed for crimes they did not commit.
“The Ogoni Nine, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, were targeted for exposing oil pollution in the Niger Delta,” said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty’s Country Director.
He accused multinational oil companies, including Shell, of damaging communities and encouraging military crackdowns on protesters.
Relatives of the victims say justice is long overdue. “My husband was killed like a criminal. All I want is for his name to be cleared,” said Esther Kiobel, widow of Dr. Barinem Kiobel.
Amnesty says pollution, weak clean-up efforts and intimidation of environmental protesters remain serious concerns in the region.
The group wants the government to allow peaceful remembrance events and compel Shell to clean up polluted areas and compensate communities.
