Niger Delta Fishermen Seek Tinubu’s Intervention Over Unpaid $3.6bn Bonga Oil Spill Compensation

Fishermen in the Niger Delta have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the lingering dispute over unpaid compensation linked to the 2011 Bonga oil spill involving Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo).

The fishermen, under the umbrella of the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN), urged the President to facilitate the release of the $3.6 billion penalty reportedly tied to the disaster. They also demanded transparency in the handling of the funds and adequate support for the affected communities.

In a petition addressed to President Tinubu and co-signed by representatives from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, and Rivers States, the group stressed the devastating consequences of the spill on both the environment and livelihoods.

According to them, coastal communities have continued to grapple with economic hardship more than a decade after the incident, as fishing activities remain disrupted.

The letter, which was copied to Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, NOSDRA Director-General Chukwuemeka Woke, CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, called for urgent government intervention to ensure justice for the affected communities.

“Since the Bonga spill, our people have suffered untold hardship. Thousands of fishermen lost their means of livelihood, and families have been struggling to survive. We are appealing to President Tinubu to wade into this matter and ensure that the compensation funds are released without delay,” the group stated.

The 2011 spill, caused by an equipment failure at Shell’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, reportedly discharged about 40,000 barrels of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean. The disaster led to widespread environmental damage, polluting marine ecosystems and crippling fishing activities along the coastlines of several Niger Delta states.

The fishermen argue that despite various legal actions and rulings over the years, the communities are yet to receive any meaningful compensation.

They warned that continued neglect of the issue could fuel unrest in the region, urging the Tinubu administration to treat the matter as a priority for peace and development in the Niger Delta.