Foremost Ogoni Environmental activist, Celestine Akpoobari has hailed the UK Judgement which gave Bodo Community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State the right to sue Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC in London, saying the Judgement means that there’s no hiding place for Multinational Oil companies who pollute the environment in the Niger Delta region.
“The implication of what has happened today is that Shell that thought that the company is untouchable, can actually be sued.
“What has happened today is that Bodo people now have the right to sue Shell in London over the devastation of their community in 2008 by Shell.
“What has also happened today is that Shell cannot just wake up early morning and appoint a company that has no competence to come and clean up an area it polluted.
“That cleaning up of an environment that was devastated and polluted by the company, must be done by experts that know how to do the Job according to international recommendation and standards.
Celestine Akpoobari also said the significance of the Judgement is that people of oil producing communities can demand a thorough clean up of their environment polluted by Multinationals operating there.
“Few people in the community would understand the impact of what has happened today, but I think that all over the world, the Ogoni people will be celebrated because of what has happened today.
“And talking about whether it will affect the cleanup, it will not. Because this is a special case between the Bodo community and Shell.
“The overall cleanup of Ogoni Land will still go on as planned. What will happen is that the HYPREP coordinator will know how to liaise with those handling that project in Bodo, to see how they will demarcate the areas that HYPREP will clean.
“I think that it is a good thing for some of us that have been carrying out campaigns over the devastation of Ogoni and Niger Delta environment.
