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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Ethnic clash: Oyo shuts Shasha market indefinitely, imposes curfew

The Oyo State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Shasha market in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan following the skirmishes in the area on Friday. The closure of the market, The PUNCH learnt , is indefinite . A statement signed by Mr . Taiwo Adisa , Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde , indicated that the governor gave the order so as to forestall breakdown of law and order in the area . The curfew , which he said covered Shasha and the market area, is to run from 6 pm to 7 am . The statement warned residents of the area to go about their legitimate businesses peacefully, stating that anyone caught perpetrating violence would face the wrath of the law. It read , “ His Excellency , Governor Seyi Makinde has directed the immediate closure of Shasha market indefinitely following reports of a breach of peace in the area . “ The governor has also approved the imposition of a curfew on Shasha. It will run from 6 p . m . to 7 a. m . “ Residents of the affected area are enjoined to go about their legitimate businesses within the hours stipulated by the law . “ Anyone caught disrupting the peace of the community will be made to face the wrath of the law. ”

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Ganduje: How Sanusi Made A Bank Lose N969m When I Was Deputy Governor

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has narrated how the Kano State Government withdrew N969 million it had in a bank over the utterances of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, the former Emir of Kano. Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Ganduje, who was the deputy governor when Rabiu Kwankwaso governed Kano, said at the time, the former Emir criticised the state government over the expenses at Kano Government Lodge in Abuja. Although he did not disclose the identity of the bank, Sanusi worked at UBA and First Bank before he was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). After leaving the bank, he became the Emir of Kano but Ganduje deposed him in March 2020. In the Channels TV interview, Ganduje said he removed Sanusi because the former Emir “does not understand the responsibilities of a traditional ruler”. The Governor said Sanusi forgot “to watch his tongue” and in the process, destroyed the revered institution. “The deposed emir of Kano did not understand the responsibilities of a traditional ruler especially for a strong institution like that of Kano.” “The emir of Kano was a social critic, a celebrated social critic and there was nothing wrong with that because he is an educated person, there is freedom of speech. “When I was the deputy of Governor Kwankwaso, Sanusi was an executive director in a bank and he made a statement that instead of providing water in the state we were building a house in Abuja– the governor’s lodge in Asokoro. “I remember my governor said either the bank sacks him or we should withdraw our accounts from the bank and the bank did not sack him, so we withdrew N969million from that bank,” he said. failed to understand that in economics you have to inherit assets and liabilities. But he only inherited the assets of a traditional institution by giving orders, staying in a mansion, dressing gorgeously, being addressed as a king but the liability of that institution, you have to watch your words, you have to watch your tongue and he didn’t do that. “That was the problem. That was the biggest problem; that he could not change his mode of life from social critic to an institution. “As of now, that institution does not afford a social critic of his style. With the problem in the society, he was destroying the institution. That was why I had a problem with him; he was destroying the institution,” he said. Sanusi has denied all the allegations levelled against him by the Ganduje administration. Some critics of Ganduje accused him of removing Sanusi as emir because he spoke the truth to power. Before his dethronement, Sanusi was outspoken on some policies of the government he considered controversial.

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Police arrest Mr Macaroni, 23 others at Lekki tollgate, seize protesters’ phones

Police have arrested popular comedian Debo Adebayo , also known as Mr Macaroni, at the Lekki toll gate. The comedian joined other protesters at the tollgate to express his dissatisfaction with the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry allowing the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate on Saturday. Adebayo was arrested after the police told him “ we don’ t want you here ” . In a Live Instagram before his phone and those of other arrested protesters were seized , the comedian lamented that “ Lekki is under military rule . ” He said , “ How did you think the reopening of tollgate is the next line of action? If you didn ’ t do that today , we won ’ t have a right to be here . “ It is a disrespect to say that you want to reopen at this tollgate. Are you spitting on the graves of the dead ? “ Na military regime we dey? We also have a right to be heard . We have a right to protest peacefully. ” Another protester , Joseph Seye , said , “ I am an artist . I am not a criminal . I came here to protest. It is my right . It is not a crime to protest. Why are the government treating youths this way?” ALSO 23 protesters have been arrested during the ongoing protest at the Lekki toll gate on Saturday. The Federal Government and the police had earlier warned youths who planned to protest at the Lekki tollgate on Saturday ( today) to have a rethink and shelve the protests. But the young Nigerians , under the aegis of #EndSARS Season 2 and #OccupyLekkiTollgate, vowed to defy the government ’ s order . The other group , #DefendLagos withdrew from the protest , noting that it was in accordance with the government ’ s directives that no protest should hold . The #EndSARS Season 2 and #OccupyLekkiTollgate said their action was informed by the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry allowing the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate.

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

FREDERICK NWABUFO: Lai and the burden of spokesmanship

There is more to Lai than meets the eye. He is more controversial than he is understood. And he has chalked up quite a reputation for himself as an unabridged talker. Lai does not mince his words. He says them as they erupt from his consciousness. He could be carefree in his cadence but firm in delivery. Lai is Lai. Loved, hated, reviled, mocked and hailed all the same — depending on the political divide. I am one of Lai’s harshest critics. I have a reason to be. And my position has not changed. But I would like to share my encounter with the minister of information whom I had described as ‘’the most dangerous man in Buhari’s cabinet’’ in a previous article. My meeting with the minister was scheduled for 12pm on Friday. I got to his office 30 minutes before the time and took brief residence at the lobby. I was absorbed in surveilling my wristwatch. I had thought the minister, as it is customary with government officials, would keep me waiting for an hour or two. Yes. I have had depressing experiences with some political leaders in this regard. Some of them lack discipline for time. They could keep you waiting as much as forever. One actually kept me waiting for three hours. Lai sauntered into the meeting room at exactly 12pm. I checked my time. For me, this shows respect for his guest. And it also reveals a part of the minister that has been submerged in the gale of controversies he sets off anytime he speaks. I understand the minister is disciplined when it comes to time. Some seemingly infinitesimal gestures matter. Keeping to time tells a great deal about character. Well, we went into the business of the day. The minister spoke on an array of national issues. I asked him why the government wants to stifle free speech and press freedom by sponsoring bills against social media at the national assembly. He explained the government’s position with a surfeit of gesticulation. Let me share a bit of what he said here. You can read the full interview on TheCable. Lai: ‘’We wrote out letters to stakeholders NUJ, Guild of Editors, Twitter, Google, and Facebook. We wrote them letters; even online editors, lets come and sit down together to regulate this platform because if we don’t, you’ll be the ultimate loser; because if your platform is described as a fake news platform, you’ll lose business; you’ll lose credibility. And we have copies of the letters. Some outrightly said they were not coming. So, even as we speak today, we are not abandoning that, we believe that it should be all stakeholders, we are only just coordinating. We did not go to national assembly to ask for a law to regulate social media, we invited stakeholders; platform owners, practicing journalists and everybody. Yet we were rebuffed but no government will fold its arms and allow fake news and disinformation.’’ Really, considering the way social media was deployed for mass assault in the US by former President Trump, I think we need to be having conservations on how to insulate our country and its citizens from the perils of this Frankenstein technology. The burden of the spokesperson; the spokesperson is the whipping child. He is the patsy and chopping-block for all of government’s missteps. He takes buffeting but not plaudits. I think it takes a bit of reflection to understand the knotty position spokespersons find themselves. Some of us will do much worse if we are in that stead. A bit of understanding, sometimes, is needed because we forget that the enterprise of government is heavily dependent on making tough decisions and calls that could be unpopular but not without some merits — if we care to weigh both sides on a fair scale before falling into the lure of coordinated uproar. Yes, the government spokesperson’s role is to argue the merits of tough decisions in favour of the government. But the error spokespersons like Lai often succumb to in information dissemination and management, is the invincible tone of the “government is always right” and the brazen annotation that there is very little that the people can do about it — which is fundamentally the instigator of the public outcry and distrust that assails government decisions. And we must not stop holding the government and its officials to account. It is our bounden duty as citizens. Fredrick Nwabufo

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Herdsmen: Residents, Farmers lament continued destructions, rapes, torments in Ogun, Ondo, Edo

•One killed, shops razed as Yoruba, Hausa clash in Ibadan •DPO shoots Amotekun operative for arresting Fulani herdsmen •Northern elders raise alarm over plot by elites to incite violence Ibe Pascal Arogorn A farmer , Sunday Ahmed and two of his friends were working on Ahmed’ s farms at Owobamigbe village in the Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State on January 21, 2020, when some herdsmen allegedly appeared with cattle to graze on the farm . But Sunday and his friends resisted them especially as they had just planted some crops . A fight ensued and the armed herdsmen overpowered Ahmed and his friends . The two friends fled to inform members of the community but Ahmed was unable to escape and he was allegedly seriously inflicted with machete cuts by the herders. Ahmed said , “ On that day , around 2 pm , I was working on the farm alongside two of my friends when we suddenly saw the herdsmen leading their cattle into my farm . We challenged them to get the cows away from the farm. But instead of leaving , they brought out machetes and started chasing us . It was when I fell down while running that they inflicted machete cuts on my leg . The herders were three and armed . ” Similarly , in Obasooto community in the Idanre Local Government Area of the state, another farmer identified as Idowu Olatuja is counting losses as some herders took their cows to graze on his farm . The cows allegedly ate up the cassava, pineapple , plantain and cocoyam in his farm in one night. He said he wept like a baby when he got to his farm the next day and saw the level of destruction done by the cows. Olatuja added , “ The herdsmen first invaded my wife ’ s farm with their cows 10 days earlier and returned to destroy my farm and the rest of my wife ’ s farm. ” Apart from grazing cows in farms, some criminal herdsmen have been accused of kidnapping, killing , maiming and raping in many parts of the South – West. The situation led to the order by the Ondo State governor , Rotimi Akeredolu , to the herdsmen on January 18, 2021, to vacate forest reserves within seven days. The governors in the region also met with the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria over the matter and agreed to ban all forms of open grazing in the South – West. The governors had earlier established Amotekun through the Western Nigeria Security Network to tackle the festering insecurity in the region. Killer herdsmen were said to be responsible for the death of Mrs Funke Olakunri, daughter of the leader of the Yoruba socio- cultural organisation, Afenifere , Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in 2019, a former captain of the country’ s scrabble team, Paul Sodje and ex -Assistant Registrar of the Federal University of Technology , Akure , Pastor Amos Arijesuyo. Some farmers in the state have lamented the destruction of their farms by herdsmen , noting that the development was threatening farming. A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Chief Olu Falae , has been a victim of criminal herders. Apart from being kidnapped in 2015, Falae, who is also a former Minister of Finance , was said to have lost a substantial amount of money to the herdsmen . In a recent interview , Falae said , “ It is 32 years that I started operating the farm . And the cattle and their owners became a veritable threat or tool for harassment in the last four to five years . At first , they would come in the night to drink water. We were tolerant and they did not stay there . “ We told them , just drink water and go ; I did not allow them . Later , they would come in the night, eat our maize and go . I complained to their people more than 10 times . Later still , elements of the same people kidnapped me. They burnt the non- crop area because the grass was already dry. Cows don’ t eat dry grass . They burnt it so that fresh grass will grow . They were already breeding my grass as if it was their land . ” Also in a Save our Soul letter to the Commander of Amotekun, Chieftainships Adetunji Adeleye, Falae urged the security outfit to save his farm from the incessant invasion by herdsmen . It was gathered that over 100 people work on the farm and any attack on it could affect their livelihoods . The letter titled, “ Attacks on my farm by Fulani herdsmen , ’’ read , “ In the last few weeks , Fulani herdsmen came into my maize farm twice to eat up and trample large sessions of the farm. I reported the incidents to the state Chairman , Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria , Alhaji Garba Bello, nothing has happened . “ In the last few days, they have gone to attack my citrus farm by stealing harvested oranges and destroying what they could not carry away. The police on security duty on the farm were sent to drive them away. But they have been coming back every night to attack my workers in our camp, breaking their doors and carting away all belongings . Please let Amotekun save us and our livelihood . They kidnapped me on September 21, 2015; they should not be allowed to do it again . ” Some communities in the state such as Owobamigbe, Oke Eko , Odoripo , Ogunti and Igbagba among others in the Akure South Local Government area have come under attacks by the criminal herders. A community head and farmer , Mr Michael Olorunda, said he left the village to the urban centre after cows destroyed his farms

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

OccupyLekki Protest: Tension In Lagos Over Heavy Security At Toll Gates As Youth Rep Steps Down

•Rinu Steps Down From Lagos Judicial Panel, Accuses FG Of ‘Cover-Up’ •It’ s unconstitutional for Federal Government to threaten us – Organisers Ibe Pascal Arogorn The planned protest slated for Saturday, February 13th over the move to reopen Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos State is generating tension in Lagos State, Daily Trust can report. This is just as the state police command has deployed men to the Lekki toll plaza along the Lekki-Epe expressway. Daily Trust reports that the federal government, the state government as well as the police command have vowed to resist any protest to avoid a repeat of the October 2020 protest which led to massive destruction of properties in the state. Similarly, the concessionaire of the Lekki Toll Gates, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), also urged the protesters to reconsider their stance, insisting it remains a victim of the #EndSARS protest; the uprising against police brutality which later turned bloody. The State Judicial Panel of Enquiry had granted LCC’s request to take repossession of the toll gates at Lekki-Epe expressway and Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, though the panel was divided over the decision. Following the decision, the organisers of the #EndSARS began to mobilize for another round of protest tagged; #OccupyLekki while another pro-government group also launched a counter move with #DefendLagos and #DemNoBornDemPapaWell. But the government at the federal and state levels warned that no protest would be allowed to take place while the organisers of the protest insist the protest would go on as planned. To forestall this, Daily Trust learnt that heavily armed policemen were deployed to the Lekki toll gates on Friday evening with the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, also on ground at the toll gates. As of the time of filing this report, heavily armed mobile policemen were still at the toll gates while vehicles were passing at the gates unhindered. Rinu Steps Down From Lagos Judicial Panel, Accuses FG Of ‘Cover-Up’ One of the prominent youths in the fight against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in the country, Rinu Oduala, has stepped down from the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up to investigate cases of police brutality in the state. She announced the decision in a series of tweets on Friday. “I will be stepping down from the Lagos Judicial Panel as it is now obvious that the government is only out to use us for performative actions,” she said. Rinu and Majekodunmi Temitope had been sworn into the panel on October 27, 2020, to represent the youths in the wake of the nationwide #EndSARS protests. While thanking the government for the invitation and some of the successes recorded from the panel, she, however, stated that she would not be part of a cover-up. “What I will not do is be part of a cover-up. I am proud that I took the invitation because some of the successes the panel has recorded so far have been incredibly powerful for the people,” she said. Her decision comes days after the Judicial panel returned control of the Lekki toll gate plaza to its owners, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC). The toll gate had been one of the major converging points for the protesters in Lagos last year and was also the location for the infamous #LekkiShootings, masterminded by security operatives particularly men of the Nigerian Army. During the proceedings on Saturday, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, gave a ruling allowing the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Ltd to repossess the toll gate – a decision that has been met with diverse views from Nigerians, many of whom are of the opinion that the toll gate should remain closed in honour of those lost their lives to the incident. Fresh protests are believed to be looming, even as the toll gate is expected to undergo reconstruction and subsequently, resume full operations. Reacting to the planned re-opening, Rinu said “my stand on the reopening on the toll gate is clear; the state govt & the private organisation operating the toll have not been cleared of collusion with elements allegedly deployed by the Federal Government to target citizens on home soil during a time of peace, without provocation”. Groups mobilise for today ’ s protests Some young Nigerians, under the aegis of EndSARS Season 2, on Friday, said they had started mobilising other protesters ahead of Saturday’ s ( today) mass demonstration against the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki tollgate . Kunle Ajayi , one of the promoters of the protest , confirmed to the PUNCH that mobilisation for the protest was underway . Also , when asked if the protest would hold as planned, he said , “ Of course . ” He noted that the protest would begin at 7am adding , that it was ‘ the people that will determine how long it lasts . ’ Speaking on the Federal Government ’ s threat to deploy armed security personel , Ajayi said , “ The government is wrong. It is against the constitution because the constitution is supreme . ” Asked if measures were being taken to ensure hoodlums do not hijack the protest as anticipated by the Federal Government , he said , “ Sure , there have not been hoodlums hijacking protests except the government . The government has been the one . ” On whether he had received threats of arrest in relation to the planned protest, he said , “ I wasn ’ t threatened with arrest but we have some persons who are part of the people that want to ‘ defend Lagos ’ sending threats , which have been ( forwarded ) privately to me . “ They have been sending messages on social media , saying they would kill , maim and destroy . Our own group will be as peaceful as ever; we don’ t know about the police and others . ” Another promoter of the protest, Juwon

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Fashola: APC revalidation exercise will end appointment of dead people in Buhari’s govt

Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, says the ongoing revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will help “clean up” the party. Fashola, who revalidated his APC membership in Lagos on Friday, said the exercise will address the frequent appointment of dead people by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari has an unmatched record of posthumous appointments since he took office in 2015. He has, so far, appointed six dead persons into government positions, most of whom were in 2017, and later in 2020. NAN quoted Fashola, a former governor of Lagos, as saying in addition to helping to clean up the APC’s records, the revalidation exercise is also a “period for evangelism” for intending party members. “We are a large political family and it is always important to know how many we are, and also to increase the number. So, this registration exercise first brings about all family members in all wards and polling stations of the country together,” the minister said. “So, it means coming back together, but more importantly, it is also a period for evangelism, expansion of the party database. “You will see, in the past, we have had some unfortunate incidents where perhaps some people were appointed, only for us to find out that they are deceased. So, this is also an opportunity to clean up because there are opportunities also as a member of a party that forms a government. “And we need to know who is where; we also need to know what party members do. So, if I am a party member and want to host an event, I can look in my party’s database and see who does event planning, who does catering, and we share prosperity.”

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

Anti-Gay Law: Ignore US threat, lawyers tell FG

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, and other lawyers across the country have flayed the threat by President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, to sanction Nigeria and other countries that fail to make laws to accommodate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer and Intersex, LGBTQI, people. In their separate reactions to the threat, the senior legal practitioners, maintained that it would be wrong for America to attempt to use its superpower to force sovereign African countries to embrace abhorrent sexual orientations. President Biden had issued a presidential memorandum aimed at expanding the protection of the rights of LGBTQI people worldwide. He threatened to use full range of diplomatic and assistance tools, which may include financial sanctions and visa restrictions, against homophobic countries like Nigeria that retained its anti-gay posture. Nigeria under former President Goodluck Jonathan had in January 2014, signed the Same-Sex-Marriage (Prohibition) Act, despite spirited effort by erstwhile US President, Barrack Obama, to abort the law. The anti-gay law in Nigeria prescribed a prison term of between 10 and 14 years for anyone caught flouting the law, either by cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others. The pressure on Nigeria to repeal its anti-gay laws ebbed with the emergence of the President Donald Trump’s administration. However, it appeared the change of leadership in the US came with revived move to compel countries like Nigeria to reconsider their stoic stance against the LGBTQI community. President Biden, in his recent memo, called for sanctions against foreign countries that restrict rights of LGBTQI persons. Biden’s memo read in part: “When foreign governments move to restrict the rights of LGBTQI persons or fail to enforce legal protections in place, thereby contributing to a climate of intolerance, agencies engaged abroad shall consider appropriate responses, including using the full range of diplomatic and assistance tools and, as appropriate, financial sanctions, visa restrictions, and other actions. “All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love. The United States belongs at the forefront of this struggle – speaking out and standing strong for our most dearly held values.” The memo directed US agencies working in foreign countries to work harder to combat the criminalization by foreign governments of LGBTQ status or conduct, and directed the State Department to include anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination and laws in its annual human rights report. It further called for increased efforts to ensure that LGBTQ asylum seekers have equal access to protection, expanded training for US federal personnel, and potential increased use of priority referrals to expedite resettlement of vulnerable people. It directed US agencies to consider appropriate responses, including the full range of diplomatic tools, and potentially financial sanctions and visa restrictions, when foreign governments restrict the rights of LGBTQ people. Meanwhile, responding to Biden’s threat to sanction countries like Nigeria over their anti-gay stance, a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, said: “It is an interesting situation. To us as Africans, it is morally despicable and reprehensible for such to be tolerated, even though in our Constitution, there is a provision that says there should be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of sex. It is such a conundrum and difficult situation really. But as Africans, it is morally reprobate and not something we will want to tolerate on ground of not wanting to be sanctioned by the United States of America. The President of America cannot force us to do what we consider to be inimical. The question of sanctions should not deter us from abhouring what we consider to be immoral or sinful. By reason of our cultural belief, I don’t think anybody should be allowed to force us into something that we consider to be socially and morally unacceptable in our own system. Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, does not owe America any obligation to repeal a law that was made to reflect our culture and values. We cannot repeal our law to reflect the American way of life. We have our cultures and values, if they do not accord with that of Americans, so be it. Since we cannot compel America to comply with our own way of life, likewise, America cannot dictate to Nigeria the way of life it should condone. It will be a bad start for the new American President to attempt to promote what we as Africans classified as immorality. If it is acceptable way of life in America, then so be it”. Similarly, another constitutional lawyer and former Secretary General of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Afam Osigwe, SAN, said: “I hate the idea of America using their superpower to force countries to adopt laws that will offend certain values and customs. It is offensive for America to attempt to force down their own values on other countries through threats. Countries should be allowed to develop at their own pace. Even in America, there are many people and religious organizations that are against homosexuality. I have not heard of any sanction against such persons. It is therefore bad for America to threaten Nigeria with sanctions over a law that in reality is not even being enforced. Having taken over from Trump, I think that threatening sovereign nations with sanctions over anti-gay law should not be one of the major starting points of Biden’s administration”. On his part, Mohammed Abeny, SAN, urged the federal government to ignore the threat and “damn the consequences”. He said: “To us, homosexuality is immoral. It is unnatural and also ungodly. They have their own way of life which are inimical to our own way of life in Africa. The American President cannot sanction us for such issue. If he does, then it is a bad omen for his administration. It will show that he has no respect for other peoples’ values, customs and traditions. We are a sovereign

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Post Date : February 13, 2021

COVID-19: Nigeria records 1,005 new infections, 24 deaths

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,005 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 144,521. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. Nigeria also recorded 24 COVID-19 deaths, raising the total fatality in the country to 1,710. “1005 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-204 Kwara-155 Oyo-124 Plateau-80 FCT-75 Edo-56 Osun-48 Ondo-41 Kaduna-40 Rivers-40 Taraba-35 Borno-32 Ekiti-21 Ogun-20 Kano-14 Bayelsa-8 Delta-7 Bauchi-3 Jigawa-2.”

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Post Date : February 12, 2021

UK Supreme Court Rules That Niger Delta Communities Can Sue Shell In English Courts

The United Kingdom Supreme Court has ruled that polluted Nigerian communities can sue oil giant Shell in English Courts. According to BBC Africa, this decision overturns a previous Appeal Court ruling and represents a victory after a five-year legal battle. The Niger Delta communities say decades of pollution have severely impacted their lives, health, and the local environment. Shell in its defence argued that it was only a holding company for a firm that should be judged under Nigerian law. The Supreme Court, therefore, ruled that the cases brought by the Bille community and the Ogale people of Ogoniland against Royal Dutch Shell were arguable and could proceed in the English courts. Royal Dutch Shell did not dispute that pollution had been caused but argued that it could not be held legally responsible for its Nigerian subsidiary and that the pollution was the result of “crude oil theft, pipeline sabotage, and illegal refining”. This is coming barely two weeks after a Dutch Court ruled that the oil giant is liable to pay four farmers in the Niger Delta compensation over oil pollution in their communities. After 13 years of legal wrangling, an appeal court in The Hague ruled on January 29 that Shell’s Nigerian branch must pay out for oil spills on land in two villages. It also held the Anglo-Dutch parent company Royal Dutch Shell liable for installing new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills in the Niger Delta region. The case, backed by the Netherlands arm of environment group Friends of the Earth, has dragged on so long that two of the Nigerian farmers have died since it was first filed in 2008.

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