Fears Of Shut Down Of Forcados Terminal Heightens Over Attempt By Mobil Oil To Challenge N1.430b Oil Spill Judgment

There is palpable fear of possible shut down of Forcados terminal in the Niger Delta region on Thursday following report that Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) has appeal the 17-years long Odimodi Federated Community and Forcados Community oil spill case in which a N1.430b judgment was on 11th January 2018, granted in favour of the impacted communities.

BigPen Online can report that tension is building up in the communities following the Notice of Appeal and Stay of Execution application already filled by MPN to challenge the judgment delivered at the Federal High Court of justice, sitting in Warri, Delta State.

The case was between Barrister Pere-Ebibo Cinema Fufeyin (Accredited Attorneys/Agents, Acting for and on behalf of Odimodi Federated Communities and Forcados Community in Burutu Local Government Area).

Foremost Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), on Thursday alluded to possible shut down of oil facilities in Odimodi and Forcados by the locals who have been pursuing the celebrated case for over 20 years when the spill occurred from Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) facilities and spill about 40,000 crude into the Atlantic Ocean.

Addressing newsmen in Warri on the development, IYC’s President, Barr Eric Omare urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately prevail on the oil company to suspend the Appeal and Stay of Execution and pay the communities the judgment sum so as not to flare up tempers in the Niger Delta region.

According to him, the shutting down of oil terminal could lead to another round of economic recession in the country hence the appeal as the spill have caused the communities major health challenges over the years.

He said that if anything untoward happens in the communities, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, guarantors of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) in the spill which occurred in Eket, Akwa-Ibom and spread to Shell’s Forcados terminal and Odimodo community in Delta state should be held responsible.

Mr Omare said that the various communities were already tired of going through a long drawn court process, pleading that President Buhari should order the oil giant to pay the compensation for peace to reign in the region.

BigPen Online recalls that Justice Shitu Abubakar of a Federal High Court, Warri in his judgement in suit number No.FHC/WR/CS/33/20 last week, ordered the oil giant, Mobil to pay the sum of one billion, four hundred thirty million as compensation to the communities.

“Accordingly, I enter judgement in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendant as per the plaintiff’s writ of summons. For avoidance of doubt, I order the defendant to pay to the plaintiffs as follows, N980,000,000.00(Nine Hundred and Eighty Million naira ) being fair and adequate compensation due and payable to the Odimodi federated communities for injurious effect, ecological damage, loss of means of livelihood and damage to fishing creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, grounds, streams, mangrove swamps farmlands, economic trees and health hazards emanating directly from the intimately connected with the defendants Idoho 24” burst oil  pipeline spillage of 12 January 1998 as  per recommendation in expert valuation report submitted to defendant on behalf of the Odimodi federated communities in Burutu local government area of Delta state’

“N450,000,000 being fair payment and adequate compensation due and made  payable to the Forcados community for injurious effect”, the judgment read.

Giving a graphic details of the case and subsequent judgment, Barrister Pere-Ebibo Cinema Fufeyin said that the communities had expended over N500million persecuting the case over the years adding that the people were not interested to go into the rigour of appeal again.

Written by Joe Ogbodu

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