Shell Counters 1,216 Plaintiffs in Oil Spill Case

Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited has filed a counter affidavit against 1,216 plaintiffs who allege that the company caused an uncontrolled oil spill. The legal team, led by Princ Afolabi Akinruntan, argues that the plaintiffs lack the legal right to bring the application, urging the court to dismiss it as a gross abuse of court process.

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled a judgment for May 4, 2026. The case involves the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which holds the oil mining lease OML 118, including the Bonga FPSO.

Shell's counter affidavit, which has been exclusively seen by Nairametrics, maintains that the shareholding agreement regarding the sale of shares is not an asset sale. The ongoing litigation is part of a broader context of Shell's operations in Nigeria, where it faces several pending litigations.