Shell pumped oil through Nigeria pipeline for years despite pollution evidence
Documents reviewed by the BBC show Shell continued pumping oil through a Nigerian pipeline for years despite internal evidence of pollution. The company says it remains committed to environmental compliance procedures.
BBC AfricaAccording to internal documents reviewed by the BBC, warnings about pollution indicators along Shell's Trans Niger pipeline in Nigeria continued for years but the company did not halt pumping. The documents include leak reports and field findings on environmental impacts. Officials say local communities, particularly in Ogoniland, saw their farming and fishing affected.
In a statement to the BBC, Shell said it remained committed to safety and environmental compliance procedures and that detected leaks were repaired. The company transferred a major share of its Nigerian onshore assets to local partners in 2024. How liability from earlier operations should be handled is contested.
Nigeria's environmental agencies said they would review the latest reports. Civil society groups are calling for additional compensation and cleanup work for affected communities. The documents obtained by the BBC could be used in legal proceedings in the coming period, observers say.
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