Oil Spill: Bayelsa Drags NAOC To Court …Demands N1.6trn

The Bayelsa State Government has instituted a suit against Nigerian Agrip Oil Company (NAOC) over an alleged oil spillage from the oil firm’s SBM Sirius, an offshore facility, in Brass Local Government Area of the state.
The state government which dragged the firm to a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt is demanding N1.6 trillion compensation for general and exemplary damages from the spill which occurred in 2013 in the area.
In the suit, the Bayelsa State Government also sought for an injunction restraining NAOC, its agents and or servants from further discharging onto or allowing crude oil to escape onto the waters around the said SBM Sirius facility.
It further sought an order directing Agip to provide potable water for the communities impacted by the said spillage.
The plaintiff also demands that the defendant be ordered to take all appropriate steps to restore the affected land, river, swamps and to pay compensation to all persons whose properties were destroyed.
The state government claimed that the spillage contravened relevant sections of the constitution and asked the court to declare that the action or conduct of the defendant in allowing or causing petroleum to escape from its SMB Sirius facility was as a result of its operational error.
The plaintiff also demanded a declaration that the defendant was under a legal obligation to restore the lands, rivers, creeks and the entire environment impacted by the crude and to also pay compensation to persons, whose properties were polluted in Bayelsa State by the said petroleum (crude oil) that escaped from the Agip facility.
The suit was filed by the Bayelsa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kemeasuode Wodu, pursuant to Order 3, Rule 9 of the court.

Chris Oluoh