Ten years ago, residents from the Bille and Ogale communities in Nigeria claimed their livelihoods had been destroyed and homes damaged by hundreds of oil spills caused by Shell.
The pollution caused widespread devastation to the local environment, killing fish and plant life and leaving thousands of people without access to clean drinking water.
The communities brought their claims to the UK courts.
However, Shell repeatedly delayed the case, arguing that it had no legal responsibility for any pollution. The delay has had a devastating effect on people’s lives.
On 6 December 2024, the UK Court of Appeal finally gave the green light for the case to go ahead. Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s Country Director for Nigeria, said, “The Bille and Ogale communities of Nigeria’s Niger Delta oil-producing region have been living with the devastating impact of oil pollution for so long. Oil companies, particularly Shell, exposed them to multiple oil spills that have done permanent damage to farmlands, waterways, and drinking water – leaving them unable to farm or fish.
“Water contamination and other impacts affect even babies that are in some cases born with deformities. These communities have been deprived of a good standard of living. They deserve justice and effective remediation, and I hope this long-overdue trial goes someway to providing it.”
Amnesty International has published numerous reports documenting the detrimental impact of Shell’s operations on Nigerian communities. Amnesty International calls for Shell to conduct meaningful consultations with affected communities about its disengagement plans.
According to Amnesty International, Shell must also provide a full remediation plan, including details of all completed and ongoing clean-ups across its areas of operation, as well as adequate compensation for the severe and sustained harm affected communities have faced as a result of Shell’s operations in the Niger Delta.
Leigh Day will represent the two communities from Nigeria.
The Shell Preliminary Issues Trial of Nigerian Law will aim to resolve several Nigerian private and constitutional law questions and confirm the legal framework to be applied to the subsequent trial between Shell and the Ogale and Bille communities.
The Court of Appeal heard the Shell Nigeria oil spill appeal on 8 October 2024.
On 11 October 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Nigerian communities over alleged pollution by oil giant Shell. On 6 December 2024, a full trial of Nigerian communities’ claims against Shell was given the go-ahead.
Over the past 20 years, Amnesty International has conducted extensive research and documented the human rights and environmental impact of Shell’s operations in the Niger Delta.
In Amnesty’s 2023 report, Nigeria: Tainted Sale?, the organisation recommended a series of safeguards to protect the rights of people potentially affected by Shell’s planned disposal of its oil interests in Nigeria.
