02 November 2015, Sweetcrude, Lagos – Amnesty International, AI, and the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, have announced plans to launch a new report which exposes what they described as Shell’s blatantly false statements about its efforts to clean up oil spills in the Niger Delta.
In a statement signed by the Press Officer, Amnesty International Nigeria, Mr. Eulette Ewart, and obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, the group said that despite promising to act on a 2011 United Nations Environmental Programme report exposing shocking levels of pollution caused by oil spills, investigation by the bodies reveals that Shell has either not cleaned up or has done it so badly that oil still pollutes the land.
Ewart noted that “as part of Amnesty International’s ‘Clean it Up’ campaign the organisation is calling on Shell to fix the damage that has devastated local communities for decades.”
According to him, the new report to be entitled: ‘Shell’s broken promises’, was being published ahead of the 20th anniversary of the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who protested the impacts of oil production in the Niger Delta.
The group warned that the attempt by the Federal Government to clean up oil spills in Niger Delta will fail unless Shell Petroleum Development Company, improves its mechanism and show increased commitment in tackling the issue.
