Concerned Bonga Oil Spill Impacted Communities, give Shell 14 Days to pay damages of $3.6billion

The Concerned Bonga Oil Spill Impacted Communities, CBOSIC, have given the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCO, 14 days, effective May 20, to pay them $3,600,191,206.00 as damages for the spill that occurred December 20, 2011 in Bonga Communities, across Bayelsa and Delta States.

The Concerned Bonga Oil Communities, in a letter dated May 20 and addressed to the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, stated: "The Shell group, has been a curse for decades to the environment and people of the Niger-Delta. From Ogoni to Escravos, Forcados and Bayelsa. It has been tales of woe in oil exploration, without a human face. The Shell group has been the most detested amongst the IOCs in Nigeria and the weakest link in terms of relationship with their host communities.”

In the letter signed by the Chairman of CBOSIC, Comrade Mike Tiemo and Secretary, Comrade Gbigbi Nelson Andrew, victims of the spill from Bonga oil communities, added: " It is in the light of the above, that we the concerned Bonga oil spill impacted communities, have taken our destiny in our own hands, to confront the Shell group within the ambit of the law, if our demands are not met within the stipulated time of the ultimatum".

While addressing newsmen during a press conference held in Warri, Delta State, today, Thursday May 25, Comrade Tiemo, who read from the petition addressed to the MD of SNEPCO, posited: “We are aware that some impacted communities and victims, are in Court,

"The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) the apex maritime regulatory body relating to safety, security and the protection of the Nations’ Marine environment, slammed $6.5 Billion on the Shell group, as a result of the Bonga oil spill. 

"The Britannia Steamship Insurance Policy Number- 04929000 on MT Nothia IMO Number-9399480, The Clandestine Shell Group FUGRO Finger Printing Report Number- J36194, Affirmation by two United Kingdom High Court Judges, Hon. Justice Stuart-Smith, Hon. Justice O'Farrell and UK Supreme Court, confirmed that oil from Bonga FPSO reached the shoreline communities of Bayelsa and Delta states, within weeks after the 20th December spill. 

"We, the concerned Bonga Oil Spill Communities, have also realized how vicious the Shell group has been, in devastating and polluting our environment over several decades with impunity, while hiding under needless and endless litigation, to deliberately frustrate and impoverish our communities to avoid liability.

"In the light of the above and having further noted that the Shell group has no regards for the Nigerian regulatory institutions and the Federal government of Nigeria, we the concerned Bonga Oil Spill Impacted Communities, have taken our destiny in our hands and hereby demand that the Shell Group, pay damages of $3,600,191,206.00 as sanctioned by NOSDRA within 2 weeks of the receipt of this letter and move swiftly to clean-up the environment, remediate and restore our land". 

×