“Bayelsa Monarch Sues Shell for $12 Billion Over Decades of Niger Delta Devastation”
His Majesty Bubaraye Dakolo, the traditional ruler of the Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, has filed a $12 billion lawsuit against oil giant Shell at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, demanding compensation for decades of environmental degradation allegedly caused by the company’s operations in the Niger Delta.
The monarch appeared in court on Friday, asserting that Shell is attempting to exit its onshore oil operations in Nigeria without addressing the vast environmental and social damage left in its wake. The lawsuit comes in the wake of Shell’s recent announcement of a $2.4 billion divestment plan to shift its focus from onshore to offshore assets in Nigeria.
King Dakolo, supported by several civil society organizations, insists that Shell must be held accountable for environmental cleanup, decommissioning of obsolete facilities, and full compensation to communities devastated by oil spills, gas flaring, and pollution that has destroyed ecosystems and livelihoods.
“Shell wants to walk away from a disaster it created — leaving our rivers poisoned, our lands infertile, and our people without means of survival,” the monarch said in a statement. “We will not accept abandonment.”
He accused Shell of leaving behind a legacy of toxic waterways, deforested landscapes, and ruined farmland, plunging fishing and farming communities in Ekpetiama and beyond into economic despair.
The suit also names Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission as co-defendants. The case seeks to stop Shell from transferring its onshore assets until it agrees to a legally binding plan for environmental remediation and restitution for affected communities.
Dr. Isaac Asume Osuoka, Director of Social Action Nigeria, emphasized the broader implications of the case: “Shell cannot be allowed to leave with billions in profit while the communities it polluted are left with toxic air, poisoned water, and broken futures.”
Shell has not yet issued an official statement in response to the lawsuit. However, the company has previously defended its environmental practices, often attributing oil spills in the Niger Delta to sabotage and pipeline vandalism.
The court has adjourned the case to July 22, 2025, for further hearing.
The Niger Delta remains one of the world’s most oil-rich yet environmentally degraded regions, with decades of oil exploration fueling both wealth and widespread socio-environmental crises.
