Nigerians could see justice over Shell oil spills after six decades - Maggie Andresen

A landmark legal case is laying the groundwork for communities to sue parent companies...

A drone photograph of Ekpeye swampland showing oil sheen on...

A drone photograph of Ekpeye swampland showing oil sheen on top of water nine months after a massive flood swept oil from an SPDC pipeline across their land. The trees are recovering after a large oil fire was set earlier this year. July 6, 2021.

“You see fish floating, the ones that have already died,”...

“You see fish floating, the ones that have already died,” remembered Nukabaroi Gberekpe, a 64-year-old fisherman, of the days following the initial spill in Kegbara Dere. “Since that time, the oil spoiled the ground, and you can’t see anything [grow] agai

Chief Patricia Ogbonnaya speaks to a group of women on...

Chief Patricia Ogbonnaya speaks to a group of women on the road from Ekpeye to Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state. Ogbonnaya plans to open a center for women that will equip them with trade skills. July 5, 2021.

A forest charred by a recent oil fire on Ekpeye...

A forest charred by a recent oil fire on Ekpeye land in Nigeria’s Rivers state. Oil fires are a common solution to visible oil spills employed by some employees of oil companies. Affected areas are ignited to burn off oil at the topsoil level, to avoid co

The Bomu manifold oil spill continued leaking for more than...

The Bomu manifold oil spill continued leaking for more than two years, according to a United Nations investigation. This creek in Kebgere Dere is not directly close to the Manifold, but rains and floods pushed the still-flowing oil into the water soon aft

“The water we are drinking, the fish we eat, everything...

“The water we are drinking, the fish we eat, everything makes me sick,” said Ankoo Anwin, an 82-year-old woman who says the environment changed drastically after the oil spill. “If the rain comes and you put a white basin under the rain, you see the whole

A forest charred by a recent oil fire on Ekpeye...

A forest charred by a recent oil fire on Ekpeye land in Nigeria’s Rivers state. Oil fires are a common solution to visible oil spills employed by some employees of oil companies. Affected areas are ignited to burn off oil at the topsoil level, to avoid co

A drone photograph of Ekpeye swampland showing oil sheen on...

A drone photograph of Ekpeye swampland showing oil sheen on top of water nine months after a massive flood swept oil from an SPDC pipeline across their land. The trees are recovering after a large oil fire was set earlier this year. July 6, 2021.

“Shell should pay us compensation. So that we can live...

“Shell should pay us compensation. So that we can live as normal human beings. No other thing than that,” said Felix Nkagbaranen Foroghe, a 73-year-old fisherman. “They should pay us our compensation because all our life has been destroyed.” July 8, 2021.

A sardine-sized fish is the only catch after this net...

A sardine-sized fish is the only catch after this net was set overnight in the creek. The black clotting inside the net is crude oil. July 8, 2021.

Chief Patricia Ogbonnaya is one of very few female chiefs...

Chief Patricia Ogbonnaya is one of very few female chiefs in her region. Ogbonnaya has publicly stood against oil companies responsible for environmental devastation in the Ekpeye community, specifically Shell's Nigerian subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum De

Some mangroves have managed to recover in the creek, while...

Some mangroves have managed to recover in the creek, while others were overwhelmed with the oil. July 8, 2021.

Erabanabari Kobah, an environmental scientist from Kegbara Dere, is representing...

Erabanabari Kobah, an environmental scientist from Kegbara Dere, is representing the community in court. He was granted power of attorney by local leaders, and grew up watching oil devastate Ogoniland. Kobah has been the target of character attacks in SPD

A drone photograph of the Bomu manifold, the storage and...

A drone photograph of the Bomu manifold, the storage and separation facility where the Kegbara Dere oil spill began in 2009. July 8, 2021.

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