Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
The Yenagoa Division of the Federal High Court on yesterday adjourned a suit challenging the divestment by Shell UK Plc from onshore and shallow water assets hitherto operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to July 22.
The plaintiffs alleged that the divestment by Shell did not follow the stipulated guidelines in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
The suit filed by the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and traditional ruler of Ekpetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, King Bubaraiye Dakolo, is also seeking redress and remediation of cumulative pollution his domain for 40 years.
Ekpetiama community is in the neighbourhood and part of host communities to the Gbarain-Ubie gas plant and Gbarain oilfields.
When the case came up for mention, counsel to the plaintiff, Dakolo, Chuks Ugoro, made an ex parte application to grant the plaintiff leave to serve the court summons on Shell UK PLC, the parent company to SPDC through substituted means.
The trial judge, Justice Ayo Emmanuel, granted the application to serve some of the defendants domiciled in the United Kingdom and Netherlands.
Justice Emmanuel thereby adjourned the case to July 22 for commencement of heating.
Listed as defendants in the suit No. FHC/YNG/CS/81/2025, are Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Shell Petroleum N.V, Shell UK Plc.
Others are Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Minister of Petroleum Resources and Renaissance Energy Africa Ltd.
It would be recalled that Renaissance Energy Africa, a consortium of indigenous oil firms in March 2025 acquired the onshore and shallow waters oil and gas assets hitherto operated by SPDC, following the divestments by Shell UK PLC, the parent company to SPDC.
Speaking with journalists after the first mention in the court, King Dakolo, said the suit is challenging Shell’s attempt to divest its onshore oil assets and exit the Niger Delta without first decommissioning obsolete infrastructure, remediating environmental damage, and compensating the Ekpetiama people for long-standing harm.
The monarch noted that their attempts to diversify with reports to the high communities raises fundamental issues about the constitutional and environmental rights of the Niger Delta’s indigenous communities, Shell’s corporate liability, and the Nigerian government’s responsibility to protect its citizens.