Federal High Court Portharcourt Strikes Out Case Against NOSDRA

The Federal High Court in Portharcourt, Rivers State, has struck out a case filed against the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) by Percy Nyengiyikado, Aribiba Ngeribara, and 998 other fishermen and women of Yayo-Ama village, Ogu/Bolo LGA, citing lack of merit.

According to NOSDRA Director-General, Chukwuemek Woke, the plaintiffs, acting as representatives of the community, filed the suit in 2018. They sought to compel the agency to perform specific statutory duties related to two oil spills that occurred in 2008 and 2009 at the Bolo West oil fields operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.

Delivering the landmark judgment, Hon. Justice E.A. Obile ruled that the case lacked merit and was therefore struck out.