ABUJA — To compensate the communities polluted by oil spillage in Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom, a federal high court in Abuja has awarded a sum of N81.9 billion as damages to the oil-producing communities.
The court awarded the sum against Mobil producing Nigeria unlimited and its partner, Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) on the ground that the negligence of both companies caused the communities significant losses.
A sum of N42.8 million was awarded to the communities as damages for intangible goods, N21.9 million for special damages, and N10 billion for generals damages.
The verdict was passed by Taiwo Taiwo, the judge who mandated that the sum must be paid within the next 14 days. Failure to do this will attract an 8% interest on the principal cost.
Aggrieved oil-producing communities led by Obong Effiong Archianga and nine others through their lawyers, Lucius Nwosu had filed a suit against the oil companies
According to NAN report, they sought about N100 billion compensation for economic losses suffered from oil spillages caused by the defendants during exploration.
The judge accused the NNPC of devoting its all to revenue generations from the oil exploration at the expense of the people’s lives in the communities.
Taiwo said that he believed the oral and documentary evidence adduced by the plaintiffs to support their claims that lives were made miserable for them when their water and land were polluted through crude oil leakages from old oil pipelines.
- Breaking: Ohanaeze President General, George Obiozor, confirmed dead - December 28, 2022
- US to support NDLEA on improved intelligence gathering capacity - December 27, 2022
- Why diversified HIV/AIDS prevention tools matter for women - December 26, 2022