The Ejalawa Community in Oken-Ogosu in Egbalor Ebubu/Eleme in Rivers State has raised lamentation over the alleged selling of Nigerian onshore property by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited without complying with the court order made in its favour of the community.
Its Chairman, Erastus Olungwe, in a statement, said Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State presided by Justice T.G Ringim has ordered Shell and two others to pay N800 billion to community for the damages caused to farmland and others by oil spillage in 2019.
According to Olungwe, “The court also ordered multinationals to promptly and expeditiously remediate Ejalawa land to International Agricultural Soil (IAS). We want to draw attention of Federal Government to an important legal development that concerns the community as regard environmental pollution.”
“Based on this background that court in Owerri has rightly recognized the severity of the oil spillage and taken measures to seek redress for our community hence the judgment delivered in Suit No FHC/OW/CS/05/2020 a case between Chief Isaac Obor-ntito Torchi, and 87.vs Shell and 4 others.”
He stated the environmental pollution caused by oil firms has had a detrimental effect on many communities causing risk to our health, natural resources and overall well-being of the community, adding, despite the legal Order, they seek to liquidate its assets, including the property that is crucial to the realisation of our rightful compensation.
“The oil firm has made a public notice of her intention to sell her entire shareholding without first complying with the Order of Court. That is the Order mandating Shell to compensate Ejalawa community with the sum of N800billion as well as clean the community,” he added.
Explaining further, Olungwe maintained that the impending sale threatens to deprive the community of the just restitution that has been adjudicated upon and, consequently, prolongs the anguish and hardships we have endured.
The Community Chairman therefore urged the Federal government to restrain Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigerian from selling or parting with any of her property until they have fulfilled the order of the court.
