Nigeria/Shell

Shell agrees $15.5m compensation for Nigerian families.

Article published on the 2009-06-09 Latest update 2009-06-09 14:41 TU

Shell's Bonga oil platform
(Photo : Reuters)

Royal Dutch Shell company has agreed to pay compensation of $15.5m to end several law suits over complicity in human rights abuses in Nigeria . The settlement came after more than a decade-long dispute between the families of nine Ogoni anti-oil campaigners, and the company.

 

The lawsuit, taking place in a US District Court in Manhattan, accused Shell of human rights abuses in the Niger Delta region.

These included violations connected with the hanging of environmental activist  Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other protesters, by the Nigerian military government in 1995.

The lawyer for the victim’s family, Paul Hoffman, welcomed the settlement which would see the families collecting compensation. 

Hoffman said $5m would go into a trust fund to benefit the people of Ogoni land, while the rest go to the plaintiff families and litigation costs.

Ken Wiwa, son of  Ken Saro Wiwa, said his father would have been happy with the result.

But Festus Keyamo, a lawyer for the Ogoni people described the Shell move as a 'Greek' gift - a gift that is given with the right hand and taken back with the left.

"Their aim is to make a profit. They want to come back to Ogoni land and continue with their exploration," he says.

He added that land no amount of money could compensate for the loss of lives and property as well as the destruction to communties in Ogoni land carried out by Shell over the years.

Shell has always denied allegations of human rights abuses.

Malcolm Brinded, Shell’s Executive Director for exploration and production, said while the company was prepared to go to court to clear its name, it believed that the right way forward is to focus on the future for Ogoni people, which is important for peace and stability in the region.