A leak at Shell's offshore Bonga field during a transfer of oil to a tanker led to 40,000 barrels spilling into the Atlantic Ocean

A leak at Shell’s offshore Bonga field during a transfer of oil to a tanker led to 40,000 barrels spilling into the Atlantic Ocean

 

The Supreme Court in London has ruled that it is too late for a group of Nigerian claimants to sue the oil giant Shell, in relation to an offshore spill more than a decade ago.

Lawyers representing nearly 30,000 people in the Niger Delta have been trying to sue Shell, saying the oil slick polluted their land and waterways, damaging farming, fishing, drinking water and religious shrines.

An estimated 40,000 barrels worth of crude oil leaked from a tanker at Shell’s Bonga field in 2011.

The Supreme Court upheld rulings by two lower courts which found the claimants had brought their case after the expiry of a six-year legal deadline.

Editorial Chief, Nigerian Bureau

Kings UBA is a Nigerian journalist and writer. I have reported for major local and international news organisations. I write satire. In 2017, I started contributing stories primarily to Discover Africa News Network. I can be reached on editorkingsuba@gmail.com. I currently manage Discover Africa News social media handles