Some Niger Deltans have instituted a court case against Shell planned divestment of its Nigerian onshore assets to stop the plan.
This move has expectedly sparked wide reactions and cast serious doubts in the minds of Niger Deltans on the propriety of the intentions of the IOC given the age long mutual suspicion between the company and the long neglected people of the region.
The concerns within the region point to deep rooted suspicion questioning the rationale behind the decision to divest the IOC's assets to companies with no interest whatsoever in the region. Shell had mooted the plan to divest to the RENAISSANCE GROUP, a conglomerate of other holding companies.
The suit is between Odiandeye Peter Akonfe, James Okeati, Chief Victor Akposeseye Okiri, Fortune Menenee Nakoro, Arc Kenneth Chinedum Anyanwo, Okwara Nwosu Idika, Akpan James Edem, Otetubi Tolulope, Olali Solomon as the Claimants, and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria of Freeman House, 21/22 Marina, Lagos, Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria of Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission of No. 7, Sylvester Ugoh Crescent, Off Obafemi Awolowo way, Jabi District, Abuja, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, Midwestern Oil & Gas Company Limited, of Plot 10, Block 12, Otunba Adedoyin Ogungbe Crescent, Lekki, Lagos State, Consolidated Petroline Group Limited of 25 parakou Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, Aradel Holdings Plc of No. 11 Babatunde Jose Road, Victoria Island, Lagos State, First Exploration And Petroleum Development Company Limited of Adebola House, 228A, Awolowo Way, Ikoyi, Lagos State and Waltersmith Petroleum Oil Limited of No. 47, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State as the defendants.
The CLAIMANTS represented by their counsel, Mr. Blessing Agbomhere Esq. are praying the court to amongst other things declare that the 1st Defendant's oil assets should be divested to capable companies with head office in the Niger Delta region whose majority shareholders are indigenous to the Niger Delta region where the 1st Defendant's oil assets are located.
He insisted that the people of the region cannot be surrounded by water yet has no water to drink.
He stated that this judgment if given by the court in favor of the claimants will serve as an empowerment to the people of Niger Delta region who have suffered years of oil spillage and economic degradation as a result of the operational activities of Shell.
Finally he appealed to the President and commander in chief who knows how to create opportunities to see this as an opportunity to empower the people of the region according to his 'Renewed Hope Agenda.'
The suit was filed at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
*Fidel Njamanze/Editor
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