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Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

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Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

By: Michael Mike

The people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State has explained why a case was instituted against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

A landmark legal action had been instituted by His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom, and the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, against SPDC, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Attorney General of the Federation at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa on June 20, 2024, with the full hearing scheduled to begin on July 22, 2025.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, a conglomerate of civil society organisations, including the International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and Just Transition in the Niger Delta (IWG), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Social Action Nigeria, and legal advocates said that are united in a common cause to demand justice for oil and gas bearing communities of the Niger Delta, who have endured over six decades of pollution, exploitation, and neglect.

They explained that the plaintiffs, led by HRM King Dakolo, are seeking a judicial declaration that Shell’s purported divestment from onshore assets in the Niger Delta violates Nigerian law, including the Petroleum Industry Act (2021) and relevant constitutional provisions protecting the right to life, human dignity, and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

They disclosed that among the key claims made in the suit are: That Shell and its corporate affiliates have caused catastrophic environmental damage, destroyed livelihoods, and harmed the health of community members through unremediated oil spills, gas flaring, and the abandonment of toxic infrastructure in the Gbarain oil fields, located within the Ekpetiama Kingdom; That Shell’s proposed sale of its 30% stake in SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd. and other buyers is being conducted without fulfilling its legal obligations to decommission facilities, restore impacted sites, and compensate affected communities.

Also, that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other state actors have failed in their statutory duties to protect host communities, and instead facilitated a divestment process that shifts environmental and financial liabilities onto the Nigerian state and its people, rather than making the polluter to pay.

The plaintiffs are asking the court for: A declaration that the divestment is unlawful;
An injunction restraining Shell and its successors from finalising the transaction until legal obligations are met; An order compelling the government and regulatory agencies to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities to uphold environmental and human rights.

On his part, the Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey said: “The Niger Delta has long been a brutalised sacrifice zone for fossil fuel colonialism. For more than seventy years, transnational oil companies, led by Shell, have extracted wealth from our lands and waters, leaving behind poisoned creeks, flaring skies, and broken lives.

“Ekpetiama is one of many communities that have become crime scenes of ecological warfare. This lawsuit is not simply about a community asserting its rights—it is about resisting annihilation.”

He added that: “At Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), we hold that true justice must begin with the recognition that the environment is not a passive backdrop. It is life itself. A just transition must therefore start with healing the wounds of exploitation, ensuring that polluters do not run away but pay up, clean up, and restore what they have destroyed.

“The findings of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) make the situation painfully clear: Shell’s legacy is one of death zones, toxic exposure, loss of livelihoods, and denial of dignity. That is why we stand in unwavering solidarity with His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo and the people of Ekpetiama.

“We call on the Nigerian state and the international community to reject Shell’s attempts to escape justice and to affirm that environmental crimes must be met with uncompromising accountability.”

King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Agada IV of Ekpetiama Kingdom; Chair, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, in his assertion, said: “This case is not just about me or my kingdom. It is about justice for the entire Niger Delta. But allow me to speak from personal experience: the gas flares from the Gbarain Gas Plant blaze day and night just outside my window. I live with the constant light that has obliterated the night, the noise, and the poison in the air. My people drink from polluted streams and farmlands laced with crude. Our children breathe soot. Our people now suffer from cancers and unexplained diseases that were unknown before oil came.

“We have been treated as collateral damage in the ruthless pursuit of oil wealth. Our lands are poisoned, our rivers destroyed, and our people silenced. The realities have been documented in the report of international experts who were part of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC).”

He noted that the Commission revealed that: Bayelsa State suffers from some of the worst oil pollution levels in the world, resulting from the operations of Shell and other international oil companies; Over 1.5 million people in Bayelsa are impacted by hydrocarbon pollution; Communities have been exposed to Chromium, benzene and other cancer-causing chemicals far exceeding World Health Organization safety limits; Oil spills have contaminated nearly all primary water sources, forcing residents to rely on visibly polluted creeks and ponds;

It also showed that soil samples revealed extremely high levels of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), rendering lands unfit for agriculture; Air quality measurements near Shell facilities recorded particulate matter and soot far above permissible health thresholds; In some communities, fish stocks have declined by over 70%, impacting food security and livelihoods; Shell and other oil companies have failed to carry out proper decommissioning and cleanup, leaving rusting, leaking pipelines and abandoned wellheads that continue to pollute;Environmental justice for victims continues to be a mirage, as mechanisms for legal redress fail to hold Shell and other oil companies accountable for the environmental genocide meted out on the people of Bayelsa.

The paramount ruler lamented that: “Shell operated in my kingdom with reckless disregard for life, law, and legacy. Now they want to walk away, sell off their assets, and evade responsibility. We say no. We demand justice. This lawsuit is a cry for recognition, reparation, and restoration.
We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, international observers, and justice-seeking people everywhere to follow this case closely. Let Shell know: the Niger Delta is not for sale.”

The Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs, Chuks Uguru, said: “We have commenced legal action against SPDC, Shell Corporation, Renaissance Group, and federal agents over the unlawful divestment of oil assets in Ekpetiama Kingdom. Shell seeks to relinquish its assets and exit its decades-long operations in the region without addressing its environmental liabilities, in violation of Nigerian environmental laws and international standards.

“The right to a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Communities have endured loss of livelihoods, health impacts, and irreversible ecological damage.

“This suit demands that the divestment process be halted until full environmental remediation, decommissioning of obsolete infrastructure, and compensation to affected communities are carried out. We trust that the Federal High Court will act to uphold justice, enforce the rule of law, and protect the rights of the people of Ekpetiama and the entire Niger Delta.”

The Programme Manager, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action Nigeria), Dr. Prince Edegbuo, on his part said: “For nearly two decades, Social Action Nigeria has worked closely with frontline communities in the Niger Delta to expose systemic environmental and social injustices perpetrated by multinational oil companies. The story of the Ekpetiama Kingdom is emblematic of the broader experience of communities across the region whose lands have been sacrificed on the altar of fossil fuel extraction.

“In this case, we see an opportunity to shift the narrative away from impunity and denial toward accountability, redress, and repair. We must redefine what energy transition means for those who have borne the costs of extraction.

“Social Action Nigeria is proud to stand with the Ekpetiama people and other impacted communities. We support their legal challenge and broader struggle for recognition and restitution. Nigeria must rise above capture by vested interest. Our systems of justice and governance must serve the people, not just a few corporate profiteers and their enablers.

“We urge the judiciary, civil society, and the broader public to view this case as a watershed moment. Let it mark the beginning of an era where the lived condition of Nigerian citizens matter.”

Why We Took SPDC, AGF, Federal Government Agencies to Court, Ekpetiama Kingdom Explains

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Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

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Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

By: Zagazola Makama

Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.

Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.

“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.

He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.

The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.

“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.

Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.

The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

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Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

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Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

By: Zagazola Makama

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.

Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.

“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.

The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.

According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.

“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.

Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.

He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.

The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.

“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.

The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
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Obasanjo urges holistic approach to end Boko Haram, insecurity

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Obasanjo urges holistic approach to end Boko Haram, insecurity

By: Zagazola Makama

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a whole-of-society approach to tackle Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in Nigeria.

Obasanjo made the call on Thursday in Abuja while reviewing the book “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” authored by retired Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.

The former president, who wrote the foreword to the book, said the insurgency which has lasted more than 15 years under four administrations had become a major threat to the stability of the nation.

He recalled Nigeria’s past security challenges, including pre-independence militancy, the Tiv riots, and the 30-month civil war, stressing that Boko Haram had now become one of the most protracted security issues the country had faced.

“In 2011, after the UN House attack in Abuja, I went to find out who these people were and what they wanted. I found that they were not really aiming for anything political or religious. In short, they were looking for a better life.

“Have we understood that? Have we taken the right steps? Should we accept this menace as part of our lives? If not, what should we do? How proactive have we been in dealing with this monster within our country?” Obasanjo asked.

He commended Irabor for the courage to document his experiences and perspectives on the insurgency, noting that the book would enrich ongoing national dialogue on peace and security.

Obasanjo said Nigeria must not shy away from interrogating its past in order to understand what was disrupting the present and shaping the future.

“The life of any nation has the good, the bad and the ugly. What is important is for us to confront our challenges honestly, look at our past and present, and when it is time to proffer solutions, we must look beyond the ordinary,” he said.

The former president also warned against treating Boko Haram and banditry as separate problems, stressing that both had become intertwined.

“Those who have things to say about Boko Haram do not even know when Boko Haram stops and banditry starts. They are all mixed together. We must begin to do something about it, and we must do it collectively,” he said.

The event was attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Defence Muhammad Badaru, service chiefs, royal fathers, senior military officers, members of the National Assembly and the diplomatic community.

Obasanjo urges holistic approach to end Boko Haram, insecurity

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