•••AS SHELL MOVES TO APPEAL COURT TO CHALLENGE JURISDICTION
Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, on Wednesday adjourned till October 19, the case involving Shell Petroleum Development Company, challenging the jurisdiction of a Federal High Court to hear a N700 billion oil spill compensation suit filed by members of Aghoro 1 community in Bayelsa State.
The trial judge said the adjournment was to enable him go through the processes filed before the court.
The judge added that he would await the decision of the appellate court as the rules demand.
Shell Petroleum Development Company, had said it would challenge the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, to hear a N700 billion oil spill compensation suit filed by members of Aghoro 1 community in the de State.
The people of Aghoro 1 in Ekeremor Local Government Area (LGA) in Bayelsa had approached the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, over a May 17, 2018 oil leak from the SPDC’s Trans Ramos Pipeline.
The pantiffs are Mr Victor Akamu, Pastor Erebimienkumor Goddey, Mrs Jane Alex, Miss Edith George, Mr Israel Tomonye and FASF Associates Ltd on behalf of Aghoro 1 community at Ekeremor LGA, Bayelsa.
Listed as defendants in the suit are, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell International Exploration and Production BV, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
At the hearing of the suit, on Wednesday, Counsel to SPDC , Mr Michael Amadi told the court that the oil firm is challenging the jurisdiction to hear the case and will be headed to the Court of Appeal for proper jurisdiction.
He asked the Federal High Court in Yenagoa to hands off the case pending the determination of the interlocutory appeal as demanded by the hierarchy of courts since the Court of Appeal was already adjudicating into SPDC’s appeal.
Justice Isa Dashen, the trial judge said he was yet to go through the records as stated by the defendant’s counsel in order to get acquainted with the case file.
According to him, he was entitled to go through the court processes and records of the Court of Appeal before staying proceedings on the matter and therefore adjourned the case to Oct 19.
He said it was to enable him to go through the processes filed before the court, adding that he would await the decision of the appellate court as the rules demand.
The community is seeking a redress for the damages caused by the oil spill and are claiming that the N33.49 million offered by SPDC was a far cry from the N700 billion claim based on impacted area damage assessment.