SHELL on Friday said it would pay 15 million euros to Niger Delta farmers to compensate them for damage from pipeline leaks.
A Dutch appeals court ruled last year, following 13 years of legal battles, that Shell’s Nigerian branch must pay out for a series of leaks and that the parent company must install new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills.
Shell said Friday that it had reached a deal with the Dutch environmental group Milieudefensie that has helped the affected communities.
“Under the settlement, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) as operator of the SPDC joint venture, will pay an amount of EUR 15 million for the benefit of the communities and the individual claimants,” it said in a statement.
The deal also confirms the installation of a leak detection system on 20 pipeline segments in accordance with the Dutch court ruling and that remediation work has been completed.
Despite acknowledging that the settlement follows upon the Dutch court ruling, the oil firm said the agreement “is on a no admission of liability basis, and settles all claims and ends all pending litigation related to the spills”.
Four Niger Delta farmers and fishermen sued Shell in the Netherlands to pay for cleaning up spills from its pipelines in the Niger river delta, a major oil-producing region.
They were aided by Milieudefensie, the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth.
Shell has always attributed pollution to sabotage and said it had cleaned up affected areas.
The legal battle has lasted so long that the original farmers have now all died, but their survivors and the affected communities pushed on.
“It is a great relief to all of us that after the years of legal battle with Shell, we will soon be recipients of this money as compensation for all we have lost,” said Eric Dooh, one of the current plaintiffs.
Milieudefensie’s director, Donald Pols, said the settlement would allow the plaintiffs and their communities to finally get on with their lives.
“If we look at the court case as a whole, the major gain is that a new standard has been set: companies will no longer be able to get away with pollution and with ignoring human rights,” he said.
“Now they can be called to account,” Pols said.
Nigeria Decides 2023: Presidential Contest Is Between Atiku, Peter Obi – Dogora
FORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara has said evidence shows that the race for the...
Read more
Peter Obi Nollywood Actor, Presidential Election Between APC, PDP – El-Rufai
KADUNA State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has stated that Peter Obi cannot win the 2023 presidential election. El-Rufai said the Labour...
Read more
2023: How Wike Ordered His Loyalists, Aides, Rivers LG Chairmen To Support Tinubu – Sekibo
THE Director-General of the Atiku-Okowa Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Abiye Sekibo, has accused the...
Read more
2023: Buhari Was Shocked When Lawan Was Named APC’s Anointed Candidate – Governor El-Rufai
THE Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said President Muhammadu Buhari was shocked when he was told that Senate...
Read more
2023: Don’t Use MC Oluomo To Distribute Lagos Election Materials – Atiku Warns INEC
THE Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has warned the Independent National Electoral...
Read more
You Betrayed Southern Nigeria – Edwin Clark To Okowa
FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has told Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to...
Read more
Yobe North: Senator Lawan Knows Fate Feb 6, As Supreme Court Adjourns For Judgement
THE Supreme Court, on Wednesday, fixed February 6 to determine the merit of an appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC,...
Read moreAPGA Presidential Candidate, Chekwas Okorie Unveils Running Mate, Campaign DG
THE presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, Wednesday unveiled his running mate, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed...
Read more2023: Obi-Datti Presidency, Key To National Rebirth – Labour Party Chieftain
Mr Nwachukwu Nwabueze, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi said Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of...
Read more
Osun REC Admits Politicians, INEC Staff Bypassed BVAS
THE Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, has said Bimodal Voter...
Read more
Peter Obi, Kwankwaso Won’t Step Down For Atiku – NNPP, Labour Party
LABOUR PARTY and the New Nigeria Peoples Party on Wednesday said their presidential candidates would not step down for their...
Read more
Presidential Candidate: Wike Frustrated, Lacks Integrity – Atiku PCC
THE Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council in Rivers State has taken a swipe at the state governor, Nyesom Wike, over...
Read more
INEC To Conduct Mock Accreditation With BVAS In Cross River
INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) Cross River State has concluded plans to conduct mock accreditation with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation...
Read more
Supreme Court Sacks APC Gubernatorial Candidate
THE Supreme Court has nullified the nomination of Emmanuel Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,...
Read more
More Stories
AFTERMATH OF NAIRA NOTE SCARCITY: Soldier Injured, As Harassed UNIBEN Students At ATM Machine Fight Back
FG evacuates 1,531 Nigerians from Ukraine, commends IOM
NLC Settles For Consensus Candidate As Wabba Bows Out As president