UK court to hear case against shell over oil pollution

• Published On: 11 February 2025 at 19:02

The UK High Court will begin hearings on February 13 in a landmark legal case involving Shell and the Ogale and Bille communities in Rivers State, Nigeria.

The case, which focuses on oil pollution in the Niger Delta, represents a significant step forward in the decade-long fight for corporate accountability.

The affected communities claim that Shell's operations have caused significant environmental damage, destroying livelihoods and contaminating drinking water. Shell Plc, a British multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in London, is Nigeria's oldest energy company.

The Preliminary Issues Trial of Nigerian Law, which runs until March 10, will answer key legal questions before a full trial on claims that Shell's activities caused widespread pollution. Thousands of residents claim they have suffered as a result of oil spills, which have left farmlands barren and waterways contaminated.

Amnesty International highlighted the case in a statement issued on Monday, titled "Nigerian Residents Take Shell to UK High Court Following 10-Year Fight for Justice."

"The Bille and Ogale communities have endured the devastating effects of oil pollution for years," said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International's Country Director in Nigeria. "Shell's operations have exposed them to multiple spills, causing permanent damage to their environment and way of life."

The lawsuit, led by UK law firm Leigh Day, comes after years of legal delays. Shell previously claimed that it was not legally responsible for the pollution. However, on December 6, 2024, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that the case could move forward.

"Water contamination and other environmental hazards have impacted even newborns, with some cases of birth defects reported," according to Sanusi. "These communities deserve justice and appropriate restitution. We hope that this long-awaited trial brings them closer to that."

Amnesty International, which has spent over two decades documenting the environmental and human rights consequences of Shell's operations in the Niger Delta, is urging the oil company to accept full responsibility.

The organization urged Shell to work with affected communities and provide a comprehensive clean-up plan, as well as compensation for those affected.