After ten years, Shell has agreed to pay N45 billion to Ogoni communities for oil spills

Shell Petroleum Company has agreed to pay N45.9 billion to the Ogoni people of Rivers State for the losses caused by an oil spill that ravaged their communities.

This comes ten years after the company was ordered to pay the compensation by a Federal High Court. According to the Daily Post, it will be paid to the Ogonis through their lawyer, Chief Lucius Nwosu.

Shell Petroleum Company announced the decision to pay the money in an address to Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, through its lawyer, Chief A. O Ejelamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The senior lawyer requested that Justice Mohammed issue an order allowing payment of the debt through the Chief Registrar of the court into a bank account to be opened for that purpose.

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Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja approved the final decision to pay the money.

Although the oil company attempted to pay through the Chief Registrar of the court, it was eventually agreed that the amount be paid to the people who had been wronged through their lawyer.

On June 14, 2010, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court issued a judgment in favor of the Ogoni people in a suit filed by the Ogoni people.

However, as a concession agreed upon during reconciliation, the Ogonis waived the interest on the principal amount.