UK Supreme Court Allows Nigerian Farmers To Sue Shell Over Oil Spills

The UK Supreme Court on Friday issued a judgment on an appeal from Nigerian farmers and fishermen that would allow them to sue energy giant Royal Dutch Shell over oil spills in the African country

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2021) The UK Supreme Court on Friday issued a judgment on an appeal from Nigerian farmers and fishermen that would allow them to sue energy giant Royal Dutch Shell over oil spills in the African country.

A group of over 42,000 Nigerian farmers and fishermen, who claim that years of oil spills by Shell's subsidiary SPDC in the Niger Delta have negatively affected the health of locals, were represented by law firm Leigh Day. The law firm argued that Shell can be sued, as it was either fully responsible for or had significant control over its subsidiary.

SPDC is an oil pipeline operator and a joint venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Shell, and other oil companies.

Shell holds 30 percent in SPDC.

"The Supreme Court allows the appeal," the court said in a press summary.

In the reasons for such judgment, the UK's top court said that it "reiterates the importance of proportionality in relation to the jurisdiction issues."

The court referred to a similar ruling it made nearly two years ago on the case between Zambian villagers and mining firm Vedanta. The ruling on Vedanta allowed nearly 2,000 villagers to sue the English firm for pollution.

Shell called the court's decision disappointing and said that SPDC makes effort to prevent oil spills that are caused by "sabotage"