WARRI- A group under the umbrella of Oil Spill Victims Vanguard,OSPIVV has dragged the Royal-Dutch Shell PLC, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company,SNEPCO to Court in the United Kingdom over its failure to pay three billion, six hundred million one hundred and ninety one thousand two hundred and six United States Dollars(3,600,191,206.00) compensation to affected victims and communities of the Bonga Oil Field.
OSPIVV Executive Director, Harrison Jalla disclosed this in a a chat with newsmen in Effurun near Warri today.
Jalla stated that he has filed a “Pre-Action Notice” on the 21st of September 2017 in the TCC High Court of Justice in London through his lawyers, Johnson & Steller Solicitors of Hanover Square Mayfair on behalf of the victims and communities affected by the Bonga Oil Field Spills of December 20th 2011 when Shell Nigeria Exploration& Production Company,SNEPCO due to equipment failure in their Bonga Oil Field discharge over 40,000 barrels of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean.
Jalla claimed that 1686,000 persons in over 350 communities were negatively affected by the spill.
Jalla further claimed that,”the pollution from the discharge which covered a distant of 185 kilometers along the Nigerian Coast Line compelled fishermen to desert the sea, polluted farmlands, vegetation and contaminated the environment in Ekeremo, Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and Warri South West, Warri North and Burutu local Government Areas of Delta State and some riverine areas in Ondo State.”
According to him,”After due process the House of Representatives and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency,NOSDRA levied SNEPCO the sum of three billion, six hundred million one hundred and ninety one thousand two hundred and six United States Dollars be paid to the affected shoreline co.munities, victims and the Federal Government of Nigeria within 14daya in a letter dated the 19th of December 2014 with Reference number NOSDRA/DFA/131/Vol.VI/409.”
“But in their usual characteristic manner of being insensitive to the environment in which they operate and their consistent disdain, disrespect and deliberate contempt for constituted authorities in Nigeria since it started Exploration several decades ago, SNEPCO has failed and completely refuse to pay the recommended compensation.”
Jalla stated that he dragged the multinational oil company to the UK Court to get justice for the victims and affected communities.
Jalla added that the case is within Jurisdiction as he has explored all legal means to the case.
