A Dutch appeals court has ruled that the Nigerian branch of oil giant Shell is responsible for damage caused by leaks in the Niger Delta.
The court ordered Shell Nigeria to pay compensation to Nigerian farmers, while the subsidiary and its Anglo-Dutch parent company were told to install equipment to prevent future damage.
The case was launched in 2008 by four Nigerian farmers, who alleged widespread pollution on their land.
The ruling can be appealed against.
Shell had argued that saboteurs were responsible for the leaks. But the court said the company had not proven “beyond reasonable doubt” that this was the case, rather than poor maintenance.
“This makes Shell Nigeria responsible for the damage caused by the leaks” in the villages of Goi and Oruma, the court said. It added that the amount of compensation would be “determined at a later stage”.
Royal Dutch Shell said it was “disappointed” with the verdict.
“We continue to believe that the spills in Oruma and Goi were the result of sabotage,” it said in a statement.
The farmers’ case was backed by environmental group Friends of the Earth.
“Tears of joy here. After 13 years, we’ve won,” the group’s Dutch branch tweeted following the ruling.
Originally published