Shell agrees to court order to pay Ogoni people N45.9bn compensation over oil spillage

Shell Petroleum Company has on Wednesday agreed to pay a whopping sum of N45.9B to the people for the losses suffered during the oil spillage that ravaged their communities.

In addition, the monetary compensation ordered by the Federal High Court ten years ago will be paid to the Ogonis through their lawyer, Chief Lucius Nwosu.

Speaking through its lawyer, Chief A. O Ejelamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria announced the decision to pay up the money while addressing Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday.

The senior lawyer sought the order of Justice Mohammed to permit payment of the debt through the Chief Registrar of the court in a bank account to be opened for the purpose.

However, the final decision to pay up the money was endorsed by Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High court Abuja.

Although the oil company had sought to pay through the Chief Registrar of the court, it was eventually agreed that the amount is paid to the aggrieved people through their lawyer.

The amount was awarded in favour of the Ogoni people by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos division of the Federal High court on June 14, 2010, in his judgment in a suit filed by the Ogoni people.