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N81.9bn Compensation: ERA/FoEN Wants ExxonMobil To Obey Court Judgement

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The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has urged ExxonMobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to urgently comply with the recent Federal High Court judgment which ordered it to pay the sum of N81.9 billion as compensation for oil spills from the company’s facilities which occurred between 2000 and 2010.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had recently in a judgment gave ExxonMobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) 14 days ultimatum to pay N81.9 billion to the fishing and farming communities in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The affected fishing and farming communities had dragged ExxonMobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and the NNPC to court, demanding adequate compensation for several oil spills that destroyed their rivers, streams, and other sources of livelihoods.

READ ALSO: ERA/FoEN Executive Director Bags Environmental Icon Award For Relentless Service To Nature, Humanity

The Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, described the judgment as a landmark judgment on the long walk to environmental justice and the protection of the environment and livelihoods.

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Dr. Ojo said, “The judgment is also significant because payment of compensation to the victims of oil pollution will impact positively on the lives of the people of the Niger Delta suffering under the heavy burden of oil spills pollution and destruction of their livelihoods”.

He said further that such court judgment represents “a conflict arbitration resolution mechanism that will help to rekindle hope in the court system that justice may be delayed by oil companies with a war chest for huge legal fees, but cannot be denied. There is no more hiding place for oil companies and they should take full responsibility to comply immediately, and to clean up and pay up compensation immediately”.

“By this victory, the impacted people will likely no longer resort to self-help. The landmark judgment speaks to the question of access to justice that is being upheld and given relevance. With this victory, it is hoped that many communities will approach the courts with thousands of oil spills and pollution cases pending some of which are yet to come before the courts or to get a date in court.

READ ALSO: World Environment Day: Protect Our Ecosystem From Extinction – ERA/FoEN

Dr. Ojo stated that this and other recent: “judgments delivered by courts in the Netherlands involving fishermen from Goi, in Rivers state, Oruma in Bayelsa state and Ikot Ada Udo in Akwa Ibom state against Shell and the decision recently handed down in the case instituted by the Ogale community in Eleme Local government area of Rivers state against Shell in the courts of justice in London will galvanize local communities to redouble their effort to hold all polluters in the country accountable for their deleterious actions.”

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

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Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

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However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

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Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

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Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

READ ALSO: ATMs To Be Upgraded For Loans Services As CBN Gives Banks Ultimatum…

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

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He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi, LP Must Pay N1.5million To Access Documents – INEC

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

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The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

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Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

READ ALSO: Ukraine: Horror As Russian Forces Shoot People Queuing For Bread

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

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The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.

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