The court ruled in a bid to recover the cash value of more than 16 million barrels of crude oil allegedly diverted by the oil giant from AITEO Eastern E & P Company Ltd.
In Okpabi & Others v Royal Dutch Shell & Another the Supreme Court has applied the principles around parent company liability it set out in Lungowe v Vedanta Resources Plc, to hold that.
Is Shell s Day Finally Coming
By Fegalo Nsuke Listen to article
The events of last few weeks enkindled my belief in the writings of Ken Saro-Wiwa before the Ogoni Civil Disturbances Tribunal which sentenced him to death in1995. Ken, writing about the role of Shell in his persecution told the tribunal: My lord.. I repeat that we all stand before history. I and my colleagues are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial and it is as well that it is represented by counsel said to be holding a watching brief. The company has, indeed, ducked this particular trial, but its day will surely come and the lessons learnt here may prove useful to it for there is no doubt in my mind that the ecological war the company has waged in the delta will be called to question sooner than later and the crimes of that war duly punished. The crime of the company s dirty wars against the Ogoni people will also be punished
Nigeria spill case against Shell to be heard in English courts
Case revolves around 40,000 people affected by oil pollution in the Niger Delta
Image: siam.pukkato / Shutterstock
The Supreme Court has ruled a case brought on behalf of 40,000 citizens in the Niger Delta against Shell for alleged environmental degradation in the area can be heard in English courts.
The ruling overturned a prior decision of the Court of Appeal against two Nigerian communities who brought legal claims and compensation for oil pollution in the Niger Delta.
The claims against Shell and its subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), were brought in 2016.
12 February 2021, 12:10 UTC
The UK Supreme Court has today ruled in favour of two Niger Delta communities who are seeking justice for environmental damage caused by Shell (Okpabi et al vs Royal Dutch Shell et al).
The Court found that the Ogale and Bille communities can bring their legal claims for clean-up and compensation against Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS) and its Nigerian subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
The ruling sets an important precedent for holding other multinationals to account. Mark Dummett, Director of Amnesty International s Global Issues Programme, said:
“This landmark ruling could spell the end of a long chapter of impunity for Shell, and for other multinationals who commit human rights abuses overseas. Shell’s own records show the extent of the oil spills which continue to ravage the land of the Ogale and Bille communities, poisoning their water and destroying livelihoods.