Exxon Mobil Hit With $100 Million For Akwa Ibom Oil Spill Victims

Posted: June 20, 2011 - 22:01

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By SaharaReporters, New York 
 

The Nigerian Environmental Rights Action group has issued a demand for N51 billion ($100 Million) from ExxonMobil in Nigeria for their failure to compensate fishermen within the coastal areas who suffered devastating losses due to the oil company’s exploration activities and major oil spills last year which was revealed by SaharaReporters in a series of exposes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ERA/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, which is focused on the preservation of the environment in Nigeria for sustainable development, gave ExxonMobil 21 days to respond or face major class action litigation.

Last month, ExxonMobil of Nigeria was cited for the reported use of dispersants near the coast to contain the May 1 oil spill, considered a violation of environmental standards in the oil industry.


view of ExxonMobil spill last year

The Rev. Samuel Ayadi, representing the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria confirmed in media interviews that fishermen in the state have suffered untold hardship in  due to frequent oil spills.

“Last year was particularly very challenging to us in the fishing business,” he said. “It was the worst year in more than a decade for us as we recorded more than seven major oil spills which destroyed aquatic life.

“Besides, many fishermen were forced out of business for the greater part of the year due to pollution of the Atlantic by oil and gas companies operating within our territorial waters,” Ayadi said.
“Our existing laws on oil spill compensation favor the international oil companies to the detriment of fishermen who lack the resources to pursue their claims… We have oil spill compensation claims that have been pending for more than 10 years and even the cases we won in court, the companies refused to comply with such judgments.”
ExxonMobil has been at loggerheads since 1998 with its host communities in Akwa Ibom over frequent pollution of the Atlantic coastal waters where local peasant fishermen depend on for their livelihood.
The Energy firm operates a 960, 000 barrels per day crude export terminal off Ibeno coastline in Akwa Ibom state.

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