Four Nigerian Farmers Take Oil Giant Shell to Court
View full case here
A unique court case, brought by four Nigerian victims of Shell oil spills, in conjunction with Friends of the Earth Netherlands, begins on Thursday 3rd December in the court at The Hague. This is the first time in history that a Dutch company has been brought to trial before a Dutch court for damages abroad. The Nigerian farmers and fishers, who lost their livelihoods after oil from leaking Shell pipelines streamed over their fields and fishing ponds, are claiming compensation from the Anglo-Dutch oil giant…Shell denies all responsibility and contends that the Dutch court has no jurisdiction over its Nigerian subsidiary.
“Shell to pay 15 mln euros in settlement over Nigerian oil spills”, 24 Dec 2022
Shell will pay 15 million euros ($15.9 million) to communities in Nigeria that were affected by multiple oil pipeline leaks in the Niger Delta, the oil company on Friday said in a joint statement with the Dutch division of Friends of the Earth.
The compensation is the result of a Dutch court case brought by Friends of the Earth, in which Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary SPDC last year was found to be responsible for the oil spills and was ordered to pay for damages to farmers.
The money will benefit the communities of Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo in Nigeria, that were impacted by four oil spills that occurred between 2004 and 2007.
“The settlement is on a no admission of liability basis, and settles all claims and ends all pending litigation related to the spills,” Shell said.
An independent expert had confirmed that SPDC has installed a leak detection system on the KCTL Pipeline in compliance with the appeal court’s orders, the company added…
The case was brought in 2008 by four farmers and environmental group Friends of the Earth, seeking reparations for lost income from contaminated land and waterways in the region, the heart of Nigeria’s oil industry.
After the appeals court’s final ruling last year, Shell said it continued to believe the spills were caused by sabotage.
But the court said Shell had not proven “beyond reasonable doubt” that sabotage had caused the spill, rather than poor maintenance.
Timeline
- Nigeria: Shell settles lawsuit in the Netherlands for €15 million over oil spillages in Niger DeltaDate:3 Jan 2023
- Content Type:Article”Shell (SHEL.L) will pay 15 million euros ($15.9 million) to communities in Nigeria that were affected by multiple oil pipeline leaks in the Niger Delta, the oil company on Friday said in a joint statement with the Dutch division of Friends of the Earth”
- Commentary: The Hague Court of Appeals rules on Shell in NigeriaDate:4 Feb 2021
- Content Type:ArticleDr Roorda of Utrecht University gives an overview of the Hague Court judgment and its key points, and examines its potential impact on future litigation.
- Nigeria: In landmark verdict, Dutch court rules Shell Nigeria responsible for Niger Delta oil spills & Royal Dutch Shell violated its duty of careDate:29 Jan 2021
- Content Type:ArticleIn a historic ruling against the oil company Shell, the Court of Appeal in The Hague has found in favor of four Nigerian farmers in an oil spill case first filed in 2008.
- Nigeria: In win against Shell, Dutch court finds Shell Nigeria liable for oil spills & Shell parent company has a duty of care to prevent future spillsDate:29 Jan 2021
- Content Type:ArticleIn a Dutch Appeal Court ruling, Royal Dutch Shell Nigeria subsidiary must compensate for oil spills in two Niger Delta villages over 13 years ago Royal Dutch Shell must build warning systems to detect future leaks.
- Des agriculteurs nigérians et les Amis de la Terre Pays-Bas remportent un procès pour pollution pétrolière contre Shell dans un jugement historiqueDate:29 Jan 2021
- Content Type:ArticleAvailable languages: français
- Nigeria: Shell Nigeria must compensate farmers for oil leak pollution & Royal Dutch Shell to install leak detection system, orders Dutch Appeal CourtDate:29 Jan 2021
- Content Type:ArticleIn landmark ruling, the Court of Appeal in The Hague finds Shell Nigeria liable for pollution caused by leaking oil pipelines and orders it to compensate affected farmers, and orders Royal Dutch Shell to install equipment to prevent future oil leaks.
- Pollution pétrolière au Nigeria : Shell condamnée à verser des indemnités à des fermiersDate:29 Jan 2021
- Nigeria: In historic Dutch court ruling, Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth win oil pollution case against ShellDate:29 Jan 2021
- Content Type:ArticleThe Court of Appeal in The Hague has ruled in favour of Milieudefensie / Friends of the Earth Netherlands and four Nigerians in an oil pollution case that was first brought against Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Nigeria in 2008.
- Nigerian farmers take their Shell oil pollution case to Dutch courtDate:8 Oct 2020
- Content Type:ArticleIn October 2020, the Hague Appeals court heard testimonies from victims in the long-standing case that has taken 12 years to go to court.
- Outcome appeal against Shell: victory for the environment and the Nigerian peopleDate:18 Dec 2015
- Victoire juridique majeure aux Pays-Bas pour les victimes nigérianes de ShellDate:18 Dec 2015
- Godwin Ojo: “Why is Shell continuing their environmental racism?”Date:18 Dec 2015
- Nigeria: la justice néerlandaise examinera les plaintes contre ShellDate:18 Dec 2015
- Shell Lied to Dutch Court About Oil Spills in Nigeria, Say Friends of the EarthDate:17 Nov 2014
- Shell made false claims about Niger delta oil pollution, says AmnestyDate:7 Nov 2013
- Shell seeks settlement for Nigeria oil spillDate:6 Sep 2013
- Friends of the Earth Netherlands appeal Shell caseDate:2 May 2013
- Crude Justice & Ecocide in the Niger DeltaDate:4 Apr 2013
- Shell’s Victory and Embarrassment in the Dutch CourtDate:26 Feb 2013
- The Shell Nigeria cases – an important precedent for transnational liability claimsDate:7 Feb 2013
- Dutch court says Shell partly responsible for Nigeria spillsDate:30 Jan 2013
- Nigerian villagers sue Shell in landmark pollution caseDate:11 Oct 2012
- Pollution: Dutch Court to Hear Nigerians Suit against ShellDate:2 Oct 2012
- Environment: Pollution a threat to health in OgonilandDate:23 Jul 2012
- Memorandum: Amnesty International’s concerns regarding Shell’s activities in the Niger Delta and the ongoing failure to respect human rights and the environmentDate:17 Feb 2012
- NGOs, Shell lock horns over Nigerian oil spillsDate:26 Jan 2011
- Outrage at UN decision to exonerate Shell for oil pollution in Niger deltaDate:22 Aug 2010
- [PDF] Shell in the Niger Delta: A Framework for Change [Nigeria]Date:1 Feb 2010
- Nigeria Shell oil spills to be tried at Dutch courtDate:30 Dec 2009
- Four Nigerian Farmers Take Oil Giant Shell to CourtDate:1 Dec 2009
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