An important hearing is going on in the UK in the High Court of London as community leaders of the Niger Delta region have taken the oil giant shell. The court proceedings were initiated by the Ogle and Bils communities, which have a joint population of about 50,000 people in the area of Ogoniland.
They say that the spread of oil caused by oil producing activities in the area has caused environmental damage, destroyed the livelihood of local communities and caused health problems. They want Shell and her Nigerian assistant SPDC to be held accountable.
According to the United Nations, at least 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil has been dropped since 1958 in more than 7,000 incidents in the Niger Delta region.
The test began on 13 February and Unhi is expected to continue on 10 March. It was more than a decade ago that local communities dissolved their claims in Britain courts. However, Shell repeatedly delayed the case, saying that he had no legal responsibility for pollution. Last December, however, the UK Court of Appeal said the matter could proceed.
Local community is ill of sorrow
The Ogle people are indigenous groups from the oil-rager delta region of southeast Nigeria. Since 1993, the communities of the region have been demanding accountability and compensation from shells for widespread contamination of their land, water and air.
Many people in the area live on fishing and farming. The spread of oil has made a compromise, which leads to a daily struggle. AccessingPotable water has become a challenge.
James, a resident of Ogle, told DW, “I am not happy, I am suffering. I have to come under the sun’s blazing heat to bring water.” He said that this oil was not for damage due to pollution due to spread, now he was now running water in his house.
Environmental experts say that residents are at risk of contracting of waterborne diseases. Public health and environmental advocates, Bieye Briggs, Bieye Briggs said, “That is why we see the prevalence of cancer growth. People are getting children younger than cancer, even children.”
Ogle community leader Godwin Babe OkPabi says powerful persons benefiting from the operation of shell in Nigeria should consider the damage done to their community.
“I want to tell them that money is blood money,” Okpbi told DW. Shell has been conducting cleaning in the oil-contaminated region of Ogoniland over the years and ensures that they are good. However, a recent BBC investigation found that the energy veteran ignored the warning that the multi -million dollar operation was bedded from the beginning and there is little relief for the people of Ogoniland.
Shell should pay
Speaking out of the court house in London, Oakapbi said shell should compensate for the loss.
“As we speak, people are dying in Ogle, my community,” he told the Reuters. “It is sad that Shell will now take through us through expensive, very troublesome testing, claims one technical or another.”
Shell has stated that most of the spreads were due to illegal third party intervention, pipelines discover and theft, which is prevalent in the Niger Delta.
Talking to Reuters, a shell spokesperson said that the Niger delta to address the real problem very little: oil spreads due to theft, illegal refinement and sabotage, which causes the most environmental damage. ,
In the court filing, Shell’s lawyers said that the SPDC believes that it is bound to harm the spread of oil, even if the company is not at fault. However, it does not require anyone to compensate if they have been compensated earlier or if the spill crew were “malicious tasks of the third party.”
The current four -week hearing wants to determine what is according to the Nigerian law, the oil giant can be held for oil spread due to third party intervention. Another test wants to become a hero in 2026.