A group under the auspices of Environmental Rights Action, ERA/Friends of the Earth Nigeria today said the SPDC has paid 15 million Euros as a settlement to the people of Ogoniland in Rivers State over an oil spill.
The group also said some victims are already receiving their share of the money.
The group urged the people of the Niger Delta region to always speak with one voice, adding that the activities of the IOCs operating in their domain are destroying their sources of livelihood and environment.
The Executive Director of ERA, Barr Chima Williams, stated this at a one-day “Community-CSOs Engagement” organised by ERA/Friends of the Earth Nigeria in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
The one-day programme was tagged, “Motives Behind IOCs’ Divestments in the Niger Delta.”
According to him, “the oil exploration activities of the IOCs in the region are hurting and have destroyed the sources of livelihood and environment.”
Williams also disclosed how his organisation defeated the SPDC in a case in their mother country over the matter after 18 years in court.
“SPDC doesn’t want to pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court but has agreed to settle the matter out of Court to save the environment and the peoples’ sources of livelihood,” he said.
