Aggrieved members of the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria in the Niger Delta have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to intervene in the long-delayed compensation arising from the 2011 Bonga oil spill.

The fishermen – through their leaders and community representatives, Rev. Samuel Ayadi (Akwa Ibom), Princess Elizabeth Egbe (Bayelsa), Alfred Kuroko (Delta), Prince Alexander Mesogboriwon (Ondo), Jeremiah Omogbemi, Olamiyeye Jeje, Alhaji Durojaye Erukubami, and Alabo Oris Otto (Rivers) – made the appeal in a statement jointly signed on Saturday.

In the copy of the statement obtained by The Nation in Akure, and addressed to President Tinubu, the group recalled that the December 2011 equipment failure at the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Bonga offshore facility allegedly discharged an estimated 6.4 million litres of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean.

According to them, the spill spread across Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Ondo states, leaving thousands of fishermen and community members impoverished and worsening hardship in coastal communities.

They noted that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) had, in 2012, imposed a $3.6 billion liability on Shell for alleged negligence that resulted in extensive environmental damage.

The group said: “His Excellency, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sir, December 20, 2011 Bonga oil spillage Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited’s Bonga floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) offshore facility had an equipment failure and discharged about 6.4 million litres of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean

“The spill spread across five states of the Niger Delta – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, and Ondo – causing devastating effects on the people and resulting in joblessness, poverty and social vices. Fishing is our main source of livelihood.

“In 2012, NOSDRA imposed a total liability of $3.6 billion on Shell for the negligence that led to the devastation. Till date, the money has not been paid to the affected thousands of fisherfolk and communities. We have written several letters demanding this compensation.

“We believe in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, and we want him to compel Shell and NOSDRA to release the compensation. The EFCC should intervene to uncover what has happened concerning the compensation, and the Attorney-General should ensure justice, fairness, and equity.”

They lamented that more than a decade after the spill, the affected communities have not received a single payment despite repeated petitions and follow-up letters to relevant authorities.

The fishermen further stated that the prolonged delay has deepened hardship among families who depended solely on fishing for survival, with many communities still battling the social and economic consequences of the pollution. (The Nation)