13,000 Nigerians take Shell to court in England over devastating oil spills that wrecked their livelihoods

Feb 09, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – On the backdrop of 13,000 Nigerians resorting to filing a lawsuit against British oil giant, Shell at the London High Court seeking compensation for the devastating effects of oil spills caused by the oil major’s Nigerian subsidiary – Kaieteur News publisher, Glenn Lall is cautioning Guyanese to be cognizant of the cruel oil and gas industry and how oil giants have destroyed the livelihoods of citizens of once glorified oil-nations.

“That’s the exact situation the Guyanese population could end up in, 30, 40 years from now…” Lall cautioned.

It was on Thursday February 2, when the people of the Ogale and Bille communities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, filed claims against Shell over oil spills which they say have wrecked their livelihoods, poisoned their wells, and polluted their land and water, which means they can no longer farm or fish.

Reuters reported that the lawsuit will test whether multi-nationals can be held to account for the actions of overseas subsidiaries. On Thursday, UK law firm, Leigh Day said it had filed claims on behalf of thousands of Nigerian people and 17 institutions including churches and schools from Ogale community in Niger Delta for compensation for loss of livelihoods and damage against Shell.

Amnesty International photo

According to Reuters, in 2021, the United Kingdom Supreme Court allowed a group of 42,500 Nigerian farmers and fishermen to sue Shell in the English courts after years of oil spills had contaminated land and groundwater. The Judges said at the time, there was an arguable case that Shell, one of the world’s biggest energy companies, was responsible because it exercised significant control over its Nigeria subsidiary, SPDC.

In response to the latest move by the two Nigerian communities, Amnesty International’s Head of Business and Human Rights, Mark Dummett said, “Amnesty stands by these two communities in the Niger Delta, which have been engaged in litigation against Shell for seven years, asking that the company clean up the damage caused and compensate them for their lost livelihoods.”

He added, “Had this level of contamination and pollution occurred in Europe or North America, it is hard to imagine that there would not have been swift and severe consequences and legal redress. Shell should clean up the pollution the oil has caused in these communities and compensate those whose livelihoods have been devastated and whose health has been harmed.”