Niger Delta youths sue Shell, Total and other oil firms

The Niger Delta youths movement has dragged six oil companies and the federal government, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
President of the Niger Delta Youths Movements, Mr Onengiye Elekima, in his statement of claim, is suing five major oil companies and the federal government for allegedly flaring gas and pumping noxious chemical substances into the atmosphere in the Niger Delta region for about fifty years in course of their oil production. The Niger Delta youths movement is demanding N 5 tn representing general and special damages.

Companies dragged to court are Shell Petroleum Development Company, TotalFinaElf, ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the federal government.
According to the statement of claim, the 1st-5th defendants have been flaring gas and pumping poisonous chemical substances into the atmosphere in the Niger Delta region for about fifty years in course of their oil production and allied activities thereof. Some of the chemical substances pumped into the atmosphere in course of flaring of gas by the defendants are: nitrogen dioxides, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, volatile organic compounds like benzene, others are toluene, xylene, and carcinogenics like benzapyrene and dioxin.

Elekina said that the above and other substances are harmful to human beings, and causative agents for asthma, chronic bronchitis, leukaemia and cancer all of which have caused deaths amongst the Niger Delta people.
Furthermore, it said that in the activities of the defendants in flaring gas and pumping the aforesaid chemicals into the Niger Delta environment have led to acid rain and soot resulting in massive damage to the roofs of their buildings and plants.

The plaintiffs are seeking for a declaration that the continued flaring of gas and the release into the atmosphere/environment in the Niger Delta region by the defendants of poisonous and noxious chemical and substances by the defendants is unlawful and constitutes a violation of the plaintiffs' right to life, dignity, and acquire and own immovable property within the region:
-- Also for a declaration that the activities of the defendants aforesaid within the plaintiffs' environment (Niger Delta region of Nigeria) is dangerous and injurious to the plaintiffs' health, eco-system and violates the rights of the plaintiffs.
-- An order restraining the defendants from continuing with the aforesaid activities to not flaring of gas and release into the atmosphere/environment of the Niger Delta of poisonous and noxious chemical substances.