Friday, October 12, 2012

Nigerian Farmers Sue Shell Oil Giant Over Livelihood Damages

Nigerian farmers sue Shell oil giant over livelihood damages

Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:54PM GMT
presstv.ir

Several Nigerian farmers and fishermen are suing Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, for destroying their livelihood.

The case is being heard at the Hague Civil Court in the Netherlands, with four villagers and the environmentalist group Friends of the Earth calling attention to the case.

Villagers say oil spills, dating back to 2005, from Shell's pipelines have ruined fish ponds and farmlands in the Niger Delta, making it difficult for them to provide for their families.

"If you are drinking water you are drinking crude, if you are eating fish, you are eating crude, if you are breathing, you are breathing crude," one of the farmers, Eric Dooh, said.

Locals are demanding to be recompensated for their losses, asking Shell to clean up the oil spills in three villages in the Niger Delta, Goi, Oruma, and Ikot Ada Udo.

This is while Shell says the spills were caused by "sabotage, theft and illegal refining."

Earlier this year, Nigeria imposed a USD five-million fine on Shell over a leak at the Bonga oil field last December. The oil leak caused roughly 40,000 barrels to spill into the Gulf of Guinea.

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