The ethnic groups are angry about Tinubu's pardoning of the 'Ogoni Nine" by Nigerian President Tinubu

Nigerian Ogoni activists rejected on Friday a posthumous forgiveness for nine members of their community who were executed by the military dictatorship three decades earlier. They criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision as insufficient and perpetuating injustice.

Tinubu, in honor of Nigeria's Democracy Day, on the 12th June, pardoned nine men known as "Ogoni Nine", among them the writer Ken Saro Wiwa. They were hanged by a military court for their protests over Shell's pollution, in the oil rich Niger Delta region, home to the Ogoni group.

The Nigerian military junta's executions were condemned internationally and remain a controversial issue in Nigeria's history.

Celestine Akpobari is the coordinator of Ogoni Solidarity Forum. She said: "You can't pardon someone who hasn't committed an offence; we demand total exoneration."

"I find it insulting to say pardon." "If there's any group that needs pardon it's the Nigerian Government, which has committed so many crimes against the Ogoni People," he said.

Tinubu’s spokesperson has rejected this criticism.

"The president did what was normal." Bayo Onanuga said that the president would look into any argument made by the exonerated party.

Shell has denied all responsibility and wrongdoing. Shell halted drilling in this area in early 1990s, then sold its assets in that region.

Environmental activists have renewed their criticism of Tinubu for his efforts to restart oil drilling in Ogoniland.

Alagao Morris said that the pardon was an apparent attempt to appease the Ogoni in light of the continued environmental destruction in the Niger Delta.

Morris stated that "the pollution which should be addressed hasn't been addressed." Morris said that the Ogoni should decide the oil drilling issue, but first the Ogoni should exonerate Saro-Wiwa.

Nigeria, Africa's largest country, depends on oil for over 90% of its export earnings. Around two thirds of the government's earnings are derived from it, which exposes its economy to global market shocks.

(source: Reuters)