Abuja, Nigeria – Nigerian communities are seeking 505 billion naira ($310 million) in damages from energy giant Shell, accusing the company of violating a court order by proceeding with the sale of its onshore assets in the Niger Delta.
In court documents filed on Friday, over 1,200 representatives of Ilaje communities in the Niger Delta region urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to halt the asset sale, arguing that Shell’s actions were in direct contempt of a December 2023 ruling that suspended any such transactions pending the resolution of a compensation lawsuit.
The communities have a long-standing legal battle against Shell, accusing the company of causing significant environmental damage through oil spills that have polluted waterways and devastated farmland.
Shell has consistently maintained that the majority of oil spills in the region are a result of oil theft and sabotage of pipelines. However, the communities contend that Shell bears responsibility for the environmental damage and should be held accountable.
In their court filing, the communities argued that Shell should be penalized for disregarding the court’s order and proceeding with the asset sale while they continue to suffer from the consequences of the oil spills.
Shell did not immediately respond to the allegations.
The court has yet to set a hearing date for the case.
The oil major has faced numerous lawsuits in recent years, both domestically and internationally, from communities seeking environmental restoration and compensation for the damage caused by historical oil spills.
Shell’s proposed asset sale to a consortium of local companies for $2.4 billion is still pending approval from Nigeria’s energy regulator and the petroleum minister.
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