01 April 2014, Abuja – Perturbed by the devastation of their community as a result of Shell’s Bonga oil spill years ago, a situation which seriously affected their occupation, fishermen in the country under the aegis of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (AFAN), petitioned the House of Representatives Tuesday to press for compensation by Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil giant whose field the spill gushed from.
Led by a non governmental organisation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth(ERA), AFAN drew attention of the lawmakers to their problem, saying the situation is really taking its toll on them, what with the neglect of their plight by Shell to whom they have written severally without reply.
Chairman of the association, Bishop Goodness Nefipre said, “We want you to talk to Shell and NOSDRA to look at the plight of artisan fishermen numbering over 35000 across the five impacted states…we are here to ensure that the right things are done at the right time no matter whose ox is gored”.
Details to follow
– This Day