By Our Reporter
A coalition of fisherfolk and community leaders from the Niger Delta has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the EFCC to intervene in the long-delayed compensation for the 2011 Bonga oil spill.
The appeal came from leaders of the Artsan Fishermen Association of Nigeria and community representatives, including Rev Samuel Ayadi, Comrade Princess Elizabeth Egbe, Comrade Alfred Kuroko, Prince Alexander Mesogboriwon, Jeremiah Omogbemi, Mr Olamiyeye Jeje, Alhaji Durojaye Erukubami, and Alabo Comrade Oris Otto, Rivers State coordinator.
In a joint statement obtained by Western Post, the group recalled that the December 2011 equipment failure at Shell’s Bonga offshore facility allegedly discharged about 6.4 million litres of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean.
They said the spill affected Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Ondo states, leaving thousands of fisherfolk jobless and worsening poverty in coastal communities.
The association noted that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency in 2012 imposed a $3.6 billion liability on Shell for alleged negligence linked to the environmental damage.
They lamented that more than a decade later, affected communities have yet to receive any compensation despite repeated petitions and follow-ups to relevant authorities.
The group urged President Tinubu to direct Shell and the oil spill agency to release the funds without further delay.
They also asked the EFCC to investigate the stalled payment and called on the Attorney General to ensure justice for the affected residents, insisting that decisive action is needed to restore confidence among families devastated by the spill.
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