Following a decade-long battle for justice, the Preliminary Issues Trial in the case of Shell vs. the Ogale and Bille communities in Ogoniland, representing a combined population of approximately 50,000, commenced at the UK High Court on 13 February 2025 and is scheduled to continue until 10 March 2025. The case addresses the devastating environmental destruction caused by oil pollution in Ogoniland and calls for Shell to take full responsibility for the harm inflicted on these communities.
The Ogoni people have been members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization since 1993. They are an indigenous group from South-Eastern Nigeria, located within the oil-rich Niger Delta. Representing around 1% of Nigeria’s population, the Ogoni have long faced systemic political marginalization and severe environmental degradation, largely due to the exploitation of oil resources by the Nigerian government in partnership with Western oil companies.
The Ogoni’s struggle for justice dates back decades, with organized activism intensifying in 1993, when the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) emerged. Since then, they have consistently demanded accountability and compensation from Shell for the catastrophic oil spills and environmental destruction caused by the company’s operations. Shell’s negligence has led to widespread contamination of land, water, and air, forcing communities to endure severe health risks, loss of livelihoods, and a dire lack of clean water.
A recent BBC investigation has revealed disturbing evidence of Shell’s failure to effectively clean up the pollution in Ogoniland, despite claims of progress. The investigation uncovered a fraudulent and ineffective clean-up operation plagued by corruption, mismanagement, and ongoing contamination of local resources. The $1 billion project, funded by Shell and other oil companies under the oversight of the Nigerian government, has been hindered by inflated costs and a lack of meaningful progress, according to internal documents and whistleblower accounts.
The BBC’s findings, along with the ongoing legal proceedings, highlight the pressing need for accountability and effective remediation.
UNPO stands in solidarity with these communities, backing their demand for Shell to take full responsibility for the environmental and human suffering it has caused in Ogoniland and the wider Niger Delta region, as well as their call for reparations for its environmental negligence. The UK High Court case presents a crucial opportunity for justice and accountability after years of denial and delays by Shell and the Nigerian government.
