NIGERIA: We Want Exoneration Not Pardon For Saro Wiwa, Others - KSWF

The Board of Directors of Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation (KSWF) says they will not accept the proposal by President Muhammadu Buhari to grant pardon to Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni activists executed by the late military dictator, Sani Abacha, in 1995.<br />In a statement signed on behalf of the board of directors by Dr. Owen Wiwa, the KSWF asked President Buhari to grant their earlier request for the exoneration of Saro-Wiwa and eight others made by the family of the late activist. “Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other eight Ogonis were not criminals. They were innocent activists unjustly murdered for fighting for a just cause on behalf of their oppressed community.<br />“The path to true peace in the region begins with justice. The cleaning up of the environment for which they campaigned and died for is a first good step. “The exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni activists, judicially murdered on November 10 1995 is another step towards peace. “The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa have made a request for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa to the President in the past and are still waiting for a response. We urge the President to again consider this request as a path to justice and peace.<br /><br />“The family and the Foundation have not asked any individual to ask for pardon or clemency for Ken Saro-Wiwa on our behalf, nor are we aware of any group of Ogonis making such a request,” the statement read