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Alame & ors. v. Shell Plc: UK Court Rejects Shell’s Attempt to Escape Liability for Nigerian Oil Pollution

Alame & ors. v. Shell Plc: UK Court Rejects Shell’s Attempt to Escape Liability for Nigerian Oil Pollution

After nearly a decade of legal back-and-forth, a major decision from the UK High Court has moved the case against Shell plc (Shell) and its former Nigerian subsidiary one step closer to trial. On June 20, the Court ruled that the Bille and Ogale communities in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta can pursue claims for environmental harm dating back decades, rejecting Shell’s attempt to escape liability based on procedural technicalities. For the tens of thousands of residents living with the aftermath of oil spills, this ruling opens a path forward. And for others watching from across the globe, where multinational corporations have extracted resources and left destruction behind, it’s a moment worth paying attention to.

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