Rivers State on Thursday secured a court victory over Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.
The court judgement in Suit No. PHC/652/CS/2020 was delivered by Hon. Justice Charles Nwogu.
Rivers had accused Shell of disobeying earlier judgements of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/PH/231/2001, CA/PH/396/2012 and at the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/731/2017.
They bordered on the interests accrued and not paid from the fixed landed assets in kidney Island Base, Port Harcourt and those of lands in Oil Mining Lease No.11 (OML 11) sold to Rivers State.
Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, the House of Representatives member for Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, has hailed the verdict.
He said SPDC is now bound to ensure that the earlier orders of the superior courts are executed to the advantage of Rivers government as affirmed to be consistent with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
He commended Governor Nyesom Wike for his firmness in fighting for the title rights due to Rivers for the purchase of the assets, “including pecuniary accruals in respect of the fixed assets comprised in Kidney Island Base, Port Harcourt and interests comprised in OML 11 which SPDC (defendant) has refused to pay.”
“The judgement has again confirmed the various ways the rights and benefits of the State were being undermined by multinational oil companies who have always taken the peaceful disposition and silence of Rivers people for granted.”
Last September, Wike announced that Rivers had acquired Shell’s 45% interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11 situated in Ejama Ebubu community in Eleme Local Government Area.
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