A Dutch court has ordered Shell Nigeria to compensate farmers for major oil spills that they say have caused widespread pollution.
On Friday, an appeal court in The Hague rejected Shell’s argument that the spills were the result of sabotage, saying there was not enough evidence.
The court ordered the Nigerian subsidiary of Shell to compensate the farmers for the losses caused by the oil spills in the two villages of Goi and Oruma in 2004 and 2005. The compensation has not yet been decided.
It also ruled that the parent company, Royal Dutch Shell, and its subsidiary should install warning equipment on its Oruma pipelines to limit environmental damage in the event of another spill.
The court said Shell Nigeria had not done enough to clear the ground around the spills.
The farmers claiming compensation argued that the damage was caused by oil leaking from the pipeline, which could have been prevented if Shell had installed the right detection systems.
“Ultimately, there is some justice for the Nigerian people suffering from the effects of Shell’s oil,” said Eric Dooh, one of the Nigerian plaintiffs, in a statement issued by Friends of the Earth Netherlands support the case. “This statement brings hope for the future of the people in the Niger Delta.”
Dooh’s father was one of two complainants who died during the case, which has been going on for 13 years.
The Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled in 2015 that Dutch courts have jurisdiction in the case, seven years after the four farmers first sued, and after debate over whether Shell’s parent company should be held liable for the actions of the Nigerian subsidiary.
“This is fantastic news for the environment and people living in developing countries,” said Donald Pols, head of the Netherlands, Friends of the Earth.
“This means that people in developing countries can adopt the multinational companies that are harming them.”
Shell Nigeria said in a statement that it still believes the spills are caused by sabotage and that it is disappointed with the verdict. “Sabotage, theft of crude oil and illegal refining are a major challenge in the Niger Delta,” he said.
“Like all businesses worldwide operated by Shell, we are committed to working safely and protecting the local environment.”
The court also ruled that Shell proved that sabotage was the cause of a third spill in an oil well in the town of Ikot Ada Udo, but it did not decide whether Shell was liable for the damage.