Oil giant, Shell has been ordered by a Dutch appeal court to pay compensation to Nigerian farmers.
The compensation for the farmers is for an alleged widespread pollution of their land because of oil spills.
According to the AFP news agency, there are reports that the court states that, “Shell Nigeria is sentenced to compensate farmers for damages.”
Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell, which is Its parent company, is liable for installing equipment to prevent future damage, but not for compensation.
Four farmers brought the case against Shell and the Dutch arm of the environmental group Friends of the Earth, Milieudefensie.
In reaction to the verdict, they said in a tweet, its great joy at winning the case after 13 years. On the amount involved, Milieudefenseie said the amount of compensation would be decided at a later date.
It also added that the ruling could affect other Nigerians who have been affected by the oil spills.
Going memory lane, AFP has identified two of the farmers that have died since the case was first filed in 2008.
Other cases of spills in Southern Niger Delta: Goi in the Ogoniland region of Rivers State, Oruma in Bayelsa State, And Ikot Ada Udo in Akwa Ibom State, can be linked to the case.
