The Executive Director, Oil Spill Victims Vanguard, OSPIVV, Mr. Harrison Jalla has assured people of the affected communities of the 2011 Bonga Oil spills in the Niger Delta of justice and adequate compensation.
Our Senior Correspondent reports that Mr. Jalla gave the assurance, Thursday July 11 in Warri, Delta State, during a press briefing held to update people of the affected communities, with a view to fashioning out the way forward.
It will be recalled that OSPIVV in September 21, 2017, filed motion through its lawyers, John and Steller, Solicitor of Hanover Square Mayfair London, against Royal Dutch Shell on behalf of over 350 communities reportedly impacted by the Bonga Oil Spill, which occurred December 20, 2011.
According to Mr. Jalla, “Royal Dutch Shell and its subsidiaries, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company, SNEPCO, out of gross negligence in the Bonga Field operations, discharged over forty thousand (40,000) barrels of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean”.
He stated that over one hundred and seventy thousand fisher’ persons and 350 communities along the Nigeria Coast line, between Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo States were negatively impacted, pointing out that the pollution discharged from the Bonga spill covered over 185 kilometers along Nigeria coastline, “which polluted the sea, polluted farm lands, vegetation and forced fishermen to quite fishing”.
OSPIVV explained that areas affected include Ekeremor Local Government Area, Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as Warri South Local Government, Warri South-West, Warri North and Burutu Local Government Areas in Delta State, spreading to some riverine communities in neigbouring Ondo State.
Mr. Jalla disclosed that the essence of the legal action instituted against Royal Dutch Shell, was to compel Royal Dutch Shell and its subsidiaries, to do the clean-up, rectification, restoration and damages, saying they have brought evidence before the English Court, with hearing fixed for September 2019.
Cross section of representatives of the impacted communities
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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Celestine Chijoke Ukah
Principal Correspondent of Fresh Angle International. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and have undertaken a training in Advance Writing and Reportorial Skills.
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