TheCable

The Nigerian government has sued Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, demanding N1.3 trillion in compensation for communities affected by the 2011 Bonga oil spills.

The spills caused untold hardship to members of the community, who lost farmlands and could no longer fish due to the massive pollution in Delta and Bayelsa states.

According to the Vanguard newspaper, the suit is in the interest of fishermen and the over 285,000 people from 350 communities and satellite villages affected by the Bonga crude oil spillage.

The federal government is demanding N884 billion as compensation for the oil spill, another N495 billion as restitution and restoration of the devastation of the economic zone of the Nigeria territorial waters and N50 million as cost of the legal action.

Listed as co-defendants in the suit are Shell Petroleum N.V, B.V Netherlands International Indusrie-E Handel Maatschappij, Shell Transport and Trading Company Plc, and Royal Dutch Shell Plc,allied companies of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company.

The suit was initiated by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) with the consent of President Muhammadu Buhari and the A. Malam, attorney general of the federation.