OIL SPILL JUDGMENT: Forcados Terminal May Shutdown As Communities Prepare For Showdown

• Shutting down the terminal could lead to another recession-Omare
• Mobil Producing Unlimited to pay affected communities N1.430b
• We spent over N500million prosecuting the case-community
• President Buhari should intervene-IYC President

Following report that Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) has appealed the 17-years long Odimodi Federated Communities and Forcados Community oil spill case that went in favour of the host communities, there was palpable fear of possible shut down of Forcados Terminal in the Niger Delta region any moment from now.

Addressing GbaramatuVoice on Thursday 17th January, 2018, in Warri, Delta state, the Ijaw Youth Council President, (IYC) Barr Eric Omare stated that the shutting down of the oil terminal could lead to another round of economic recession in the country while urging President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately prevail on the oil company to suspend the Appeal and Stay of Execution, and pay the communities the judgment sum of N1.430b (One billion, four hundred and thirty million naira), so as not to flare up tempers in the Niger Delta region.

In his words, “The shutting down of oil terminal could lead to another round of economic recession in the country, hence this passionate appeal coupled with the fact that the spill has caused the communities major health challenges over the years.”

He explained that if anything should go wrong within the communities, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited which guaranteed Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) in the spill which occurred in Eket, Akwa-Ibom state and spread to Shell’s Forcados Terminal and Odimodi community in Delta state, should be held responsible.

Omare lamented that the various communities were already tired of going through a long drawn court process and therefore pleaded that President Buhari should order the oil giant to pay the compensation amounting to the sum of one billion, four hundred thirty million naira for peace to reign in the region.

The details of the court presiding reveal that Justice Shitu Abubakar of a Federal High Court, Warri in his judgment in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/33/20 last week, ordered the oil giant, Mobil to pay the sum of one billion, four hundred thirty million naira as compensation to the communities.

Details of the payment further reveals that the oil giant will pay the plaintiff the sum of N980,000,000 (Nine hundred and eighty million naira) being fair and adequate compensation due and payable to the Odimodi Federated Communities for injurious effect, ecological damage, loss of means of livelihood and damage to fishing creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, grounds, streams.

Other items covered by this payment include; mangrove swamps, farmlands, economic trees and health hazards emanating directly from the intimately connected with the defendants Idoho 24’’ burst oil pipeline spillage of 12 January 1998 as per recommendation in expert valuation report submitted to defendant on behalf of the Odimodi Federated Communities in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state.
Continuing, Mobil is required to also pay the plaintiff another sum, amounting to N450,000,000 (Four hundred and fifty million naira) being fair payment and adequate compensation due and made payable to the Forcados Community for injurious effect, the judgment read.

Barrister Pere-Ebibo Cinema Fufeyin on his part stresses that the communities had expended over N500,000,000 (Five hundred million naira) prosecuting the case over the years adding that the people were not interested to go into the rigour of appeal again.

It would be recalled that there was a major spill in 1998 from Idoho QIT Platform managed by Mobil in Eket, Akwa-Ibom state that affected seven states namely; Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Ondo and Rivers; necessitating the case that was instituted in the year 2001 between Barrister Pere-Ebibo Cinema Fufeyin, accredited Attorneys/Agents, Acting for and on behalf of Odimodi Federated Communities and Forcados Community in Burutu Local Government Area as plaintiffs while Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited was the defendant/respondent in the matter.

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