Victory! Shell Pays Ogoni $15.5 Million in Settlement

Victory! Shell Pays Ogoni $15.5 Million in Settlement

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Ogoni No to Shell

On June 8, a settlement was reached shortly before Shell was due to stand trial in U.S. federal court for complicity in the executions of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other nonviolent Nigerian activists.

After 13 years of legal battles, the deaths of these activists who opposed Shell’s gas flaring and environmental devastation of their homeland have been recompensed. Shell was forced to pay $15.5 million, including $5 million for a trust to benefit communities in Ogoni territory in Nigeria, the homeland of the executed activists.

The fact that the Nigerian plaintiffs were able to win such a large settlement means they successfully held Shell accountable for its complicity in human rights abuses. You can read more about the settlement at our Shell Guilty campaign website, or take a look at some of the news articles below.

We want to thank you for keeping the pressure on Shell. The adverse attention you generated no doubt played a role in forcing Shell to pay up. We are happy for the Ogoni people that some justice has been served.

But make no mistake. Shell still continues its toxic gas flaring and other harmful activities (for example, it’s the most carbon-intensive oil company on the planet). Expect to hear from us in the future about ways we can continue this campaign.

But for the moment, let’s take some time to recognize this achievement — that corporations like Shell can be forced to pay for their crimes.

Coverage of Shell Settlement

Shell pays Nigeria rights victims $15.5 mln
By Sebastian Smith, AFP

Shell settles human rights suit for $15.5M
By Chris Kahn, The Associated Press

Nigeria: Shell Settles Saro-Wiwa Case
By Faatimah Hendricks, allAfrica.com

Some release from the torments of the past
Murdered activist’s son on his reaction to Shell’s $15.5m settlement
By Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr., The Guardian