The Niger Delta communities affected by the 2011 Bonga oil spill, on Monday in Abuja, staged a protest to demand justice and enforcement of the $3.6 billion awarded to them as compensation.
The group, which includes victims from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Ogun states, protested peacefully at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
Led by Federal Johnson, the group urged the federal government to intervene and ensure that Shell met its financial obligations “before leaving the country”.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, Johnson said:
“We are here to beg Mr President to call Shell to order to pay us our money before they leave. We have tried our best but nothing has been done.”
“The spillage affected a lot of things, many people died. We can no longer fish. We are suffering from different health issues. Our women are leaving us because we can no longer provide for them.”
Johnson stated that there has been no report from the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding their investigation of the insurance money collected by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPco).
He added that their demands include the release of the report of the investigation conducted by EFCC.
He said,
“The EFCC invited the valuer and some other people as they investigated the payment, but since then, we have not heard anything from them. The valuer is from the government.”
The Bonga oil spill occurred on December 20, 2011, during Shell’s exploration activities in OML 118, 120 kilometres off Nigeria’s coast in the Gulf of Guinea.
The impact was far-reaching, affecting communities across Niger Delta states, particularly in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Delta.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) swiftly responded, imposing a $1.8 billion compensation for environmental damages and loss of income on the affected communities.
An additional $1.8 billion was awarded by the court, bringing the total liability to $3.6 billion.