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Nigeria: Community affected by oil spills fights Shell in court
Environmental Damage caused by oil spill. PHOTO/File
Legal arguments began in court on Tuesday in a compensation claim brought by about 15,000 members of Nigeria’s Bodo community against oil giant Shell for the damage caused by 2 spills in 2008.
The court will consider the key legal issues ahead of a full trial expected in May 2015, according to the community’s London-based law firm, Leigh Day.
The 2 sides failed to reach a compensation deal last year, with Leigh Day calling Shell’s initial offer “insulting”.
Sources familiar with the talks said that Shell proposed a settlement of 7.5 billion naira (US$46 million).
Lawyers for the villagers say the local environment was devastated by the 2 oil spills, depriving thousands of subsistence farmers and fishermen of their livelihoods.
According to a senior partner at Leigh Day, each individual would end up with around 275,000 naira (US$1,700) after subtracting a lump sum to be paid to the community.
He claims most of the fishermen affected by the spills earn US$5,000 to US$8,400 per year.
“Our clients know how much their claims are worth and will not be bought off cheaply,” the partner.
