Shell appeared in court Tuesday over allegations that oil pollution from its operations in Nigeria has deprived thousands of residents of clean water and devastated agriculture and fishing in the Niger Delta.
Lawyers representing 13,000 people from the Bille and Ogale communities argue that numerous leaks and spills from Shell’s pipelines have caused severe environmental damage. They claim Shell and its regional subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), failed to take basic measures to prevent oil theft and illegal refining, which contributed to the pollution.
Shell, however, contends that most of the spills were caused by criminal activities, including pipeline sabotage and oil theft. The company maintains it is not responsible for pollution resulting from third-party actions but insists that SPDC conducts cleanup efforts “regardless of the cause,” including spills currently under legal scrutiny.
The case, being heard in London’s High Court, will determine whether Shell can be held liable for pollution resulting from theft and illegal activities. It will also examine whether environmental damage caused by a private company constitutes a violation of human rights under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
If the case succeeds, it could set a legal precedent by holding a multinational corporation accountable for human rights violations due to environmental pollution.
Residents of Ogale and Bille have been demanding a cleanup “to international standards” and seeking compensation since 2015. They claim pollution has left them without access to clean water and has severely impacted their ability to farm and fish.
“It has been a long, hard fight to get here, but we are happy to see Shell finally facing trial,” said Chief Bennett Okpoki, a leader in the Bille community.
A full trial is scheduled for next year.