An investigation by the BBC has revealed that energy giant Shell has been accused of ignoring warnings about problems and corruption in a controversial clean-up operation of oil-polluted areas in southern Nigeria. Despite claims by Shell and the Nigerian government that the clean-up in Ogoniland is progressing well, evidence uncovered by the BBC shows repeated warnings of issues with the scheme, which has been funded by various oil firms to the tune of $1bn. Critics describe the project as a “con” and a “scam” that has failed to address the devastating impact of oil pollution on the people of Ogoniland. Shell denies wrongdoing and blames spills on sabotage and illegal activities in the Niger Delta region. The allegations come as a civil trial is set to begin in London, where communities in Ogoniland are demanding accountability for oil pollution dating back to 1989. The UN has reported that millions of barrels of oil have been spilled in the region, causing health and environmental risks for local residents. Residents like Paulina Agbekpekpe and Grace Audi have shared stories of the toll that oil pollution has taken on their communities, including sickness, loss of livelihoods, and environmental devastation. The UN’s Environment Programme has highlighted the severe impact of pollution in Ogoniland and called for a comprehensive clean-up that could take decades to complete. Despite initial funding from oil companies, including Shell, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness and transparency of the clean-up efforts. “The majority of it is designed to deceive the Ogoni people,” the informant stated.
“It’s a scam orchestrated to funnel more money into the system and ultimately into the pockets of politicians and other influential individuals.”
The accusations against Hyprep include:
– Awarding contracts to companies lacking relevant experience
– Falsifying laboratory results, sometimes mislabeling contaminated soil and water as clean
– Inflating project costs
– Occasionally obstructing external auditors from verifying proper clean-up on sites
During a 2023 meeting attended by representatives from Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, the UNEP, and Hyprep, it was noted that “incompetent” contractors were being re-engaged, with concerns raised about further environmental degradation.
A leaked report from the same year highlighted regular deviations in laboratory results.
In 2022, the UN cautioned Nigeria’s environment ministry that if changes were not made, the subpar standards of the clean-up would persist.
Despite requests for comments on the allegations, Hyprep and the Nigerian government have remained silent.
However, evidence suggests that Shell was aware of the issues.
During a meeting with the British high commissioner to Nigeria in January of the previous year, Shell representatives acknowledged the “institutional challenges” of the clean-up agency and the risk of potential denial of “future funding” towards it.
The UN warned in 2011 that it could take up to 30 years to clean up the oil pollution in Ogoniland [AFP]
This is not the only remediation project in Ogoniland that is alleged to have been mishandled.
In 2015, Shell settled for £55m for a clean-up after two major spills in 2008 in the Bodo area.
The company claims that the clean-up, led by the Bodo Mediation Initiative (BMI), is 98% complete and serves as a mediator between oil companies, including Shell, and the Bodo community.
However, the BBC discovered crude oil seeping from the soil and waters at sites in the area.
Shell and the BMI attribute any oil spills in the region to theft, known as “oil bunkering” in the industry.
“There are plans to recall contractors to clean those areas to specific standards,” said Boniface Dumpe, a BMI director, to the BBC.
“It is the responsibility of all stakeholders, including Shell, to prevent oil spills from their facilities.
“But for the areas that have been cleaned, the community also has a responsibility to prevent illegal activities that may lead to re-pollution.”
Shell stated that they take measures to prevent oil spills caused by oil bunkering.
The company explained: “We take extensive steps to prevent this activity and the spills it causes, including aerial surveillance, removing illegal connections on pipelines, and building steel cages to protect wellheads.”
The reported failings in the oil clean-up coincide with Shell’s plans to sell its Nigerian subsidiary, the SPDC, to Renaissance Africa, a consortium of local and international companies.
Patience Ogboe says she planted this crop of maize four months ago but it has not grown properly [BBC]
Some locals in Ogoniland accuse the oil giant of evading proper clean-up of the land and water it allegedly polluted.
They are concerned that Shell may still benefit from the region by trading the oil extracted in the future.
“The actions of any oil operator taking over the pipelines will greatly impact their daily lives,” said Joe Snape, a lawyer at Leigh Day, to the BBC.
“There is very little information about the outcomes of these deals.
“It is uncertain how Renaissance [Africa] will proceed. At least with Shell, there are ways to hold them accountable.”
Mineral products, such as petroleum oil and gas, make up 90% of Nigeria’s exports, mostly from the Niger Delta region.
Locals, whose main livelihoods have been agriculture and fishing, claim that since the discovery of oil, or “black gold,” their land has been exploited for profit by major oil companies, oil thieves, and corrupt politicians.
They say they have not seen any benefits, only suffering – like Patience Ogboe, who attributes her failing crops to recent oil spills.
“Previously, I could harvest and have enough to eat and sell with my family… but in recent years, I have received nothing. “Está realmente mal,” el 42 años la BBC.
Mapa: Nigeria
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[Getty Images/BBC]
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