Shell ignores court order to stop gas flaring in Nigeria

Contempt of court proceedings were started against the Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for failing to comply with a court order.
The order was issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria on 14 November 2005, to stop flaring gas with immediate effect in Iwherekan community, Delta state. The court found gas flaring to be a “gross violation” of the rights to life and dignity.

People from the Iwherekan community have confirmed that flaring, a by-product of oil extraction, has continued unchecked since 14 November 2005. Shell has therefore been in contempt of court since this date.
The contempt of court notice is being filed by a member of the Iwherekan community in Delta State on behalf of himself and the Iwherekan community, with the support of Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria), the Climate Justice Program and Friends of the Earth.

Across the Delta, the giant orange flares burn all day and night, many of them close to peoples' homes. Local communities suffer higher rates of respiratory diseases such as asthma because of the toxic chemicals in the gas and have to suffer constant noise, light and heat. Crop yields are damaged by air pollution.
The flaring pumps clouds of black toxic smoke into the sky, causing more greenhouse gas emissions than any other single source in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Bank.

Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria), said: “Since judgement was passed Shell has not halted her illegal activities. What we are witnessing is a clear demonstration of the fact that Shell has scant respect for the lives of the people in whose communities they carry on their business. While the people are dying, Shell cares only for her profits.”
“We see a multinational corporation that has no respect for the rule of law but who at every turn loves to characterise local people as vandals and saboteurs. Who is the vandal: Shell or the people? Shell is contemptuous of our laws, of our peoples and of our environment. We are ashamed that our government is in an unholy wedlock with a corporation such as this.”

Paul de Clerck of Friends of the Earth International in Brussels says:
“It is shocking that Shell continues to flare gas despite Nigeria's high court ruling that it is illegal and a breach of human rights. Shell has demonstrated once again that is doesn't have any respect for the people of the Niger Delta”.
Peter Roderick of the Climate Justice Programme said: “So soon after its fraud over Nigerian reserves, it's astonishing that Shell has not complied with this court order preventing it from continuing gross violations of human rights. Its behaviour seriously undermines respect for the rule of law that its operations depend on.”