…want Shell Nigeria to atone for environmental, human rights’ infractions
A coalition of civil society organisations has thrown its weight behind King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom, Bayelsa State, in a landmark lawsuit against Shell Nigeria.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, challenges Shell’s plan to divest its onshore oil assets in the Niger Delta without fulfilling critical environmental and human rights obligations, a statement signed by the organisations stated.
The Organisations include the Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action Nigeria), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and the Just, Transition in the Niger Delta (IWG), Bayelsa State Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (BANGOF), HEDA Resource Centre and the Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre.
King Dakolo and the Ekpetiama people argue that Shell’s operations have led to massive oil spills, gas flaring and destruction of fishing and farming livelihoods, rendering their rivers, forests, and farmlands toxic and unsustainable.
The plaintiffs seek to stop Shell’s planned divestment until the company accounts for its environmental devastation, remediates polluted sites, decommissions obsolete infrastructure, and compensates host communities affected by over six decades of irresponsible oil extraction.
The case is backed by extensive findings of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission, which reveal that Bayelsa State suffers from some of the worst oil pollution levels in the world.
Over 1.5 million people in Bayelsa are impacted by hydrocarbon pollution, and communities have been exposed to cancer-causing chemicals far exceeding World Health Organisation safety limits.
Civil society groups and environmental justice advocates are standing in solidarity with King Dakolo, emphasising that Shell must not be allowed to profit from destruction and then walk away.
“The Niger Delta cannot be a sacrificial zone for fossil fuel greed,” said Nnimmo Bassey, executive director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
The lawsuit raises fundamental issues about corporate accountability, environmental justice, and the rights of indigenous communities. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare Shell’s proposed divestment without environmental remediation and decommissioning unlawful and compel regulators to enforce the Petroleum Industry Act and protect host communities.
This case sets a precedent in Nigeria, the Gulf of Guinea region, and globally, highlighting the need for corporate accountability, environmental restoration, and community consent in the energy transition. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the future of environmental justice in Nigeria and beyond.
The Federal High Court has been called upon to act decisively to restrain Shell and its partners from finalising any asset sale or divestment until full compliance with environmental and human rights obligations is demonstrated.
The court’s decision will be a test of corporate accountability and the rule of law in Nigeria, with far-reaching consequences for the country’s environmental and legal history.
