UN Says Shell Failed to Clean Up Niger Delta Oil Spills

Shell's systemic failure to address oil spills for many years is addressed in the report © Kadir van Lohuizen/NOOR

The Niger Delta has been suffering for decades from the devastating impact of oil pollution – damaging people’s health, livelihoods and access to food and water.

Today, an independent United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report lays bare how oil pollution in the Niger Delta has destroyed the environment and the lives of people living in poverty. It’s time for the oil industry and the Nigerian government to Wake Up and Clean Up!

In 2008, two major oil spills occurred at Bodo Creek in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta. The oil poured into the swamp and creek for weeks. Almost three years on, the pollution has not been cleaned up.

Amnesty International visited Bodo in May 2011.  The video below shows the ongoing damage and the human impact – pastor Christian Lekoya Kpandei’s livelihood and source of food was destroyed. What would you want to happen if you were in his position?

The good news is that yesterday Shell accepted liability for the two oil spills at Bodo – but it could take years for the pollution to be cleaned up. How should the Nigerian government and the oil industry prevent this happening again in the future?

Sign our petition telling Nigeria’s government to hold oil companies to account. The oil companies must clean up their act!