Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has challenged the Federal High Court in Yenagoa’s jurisdiction to hear a N700 billion oil spill compensation suit filed by residents of Bayelsa’s Aghoro 1 community.
The residents of Aghoro 1 in Bayelsa’s Ekeremor Local Government Area sued SPDC in Federal High Court in Yenagoa over an oil leak from the company’s Trans Ramos Pipeline on May 17, 2018.
When the case came up for hearing, SPDC’s lawyer, Mr Michael Amadi, told the court that the oil company is contesting the court’s jurisdiction and intends to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
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He also asked the court to put the case on hold pending the outcome of the interlocutory appeal, as required by the hierarchy of courts, because the Court of Appeal was already hearing SPDC’s appeal.
Although the records claimed by the defendant’s counsel were in front of the court, trial judge Justice Isa Dashen stated that he had yet to go through them in order to keep up with the case’s developments.
He claimed he had the right to review the Court of Appeal’s procedures and records before the matter was put on hold.
He postponed the hearing until October 19 to allow time to review the documents filed with the court and to wait for the appellate court’s decision, as required by the rules.
On behalf of the Aghoro 1 community in Ekeremor LGA, Bayelsa, the pantiffs are Mr Victor Akamu, Pastor Erebimienkumor Goddey, Mrs Jane Alex, Miss Edith George, Mr Israel Tomonye, and FASF Associates Ltd.
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They are seeking compensation for the damages caused by the oil spill, claiming that SPDC’s offer of N33.49 million was a far cry from the N700 billion claim based on damage assessments in the affected areas.
Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell International Exploration and Production BV, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
