By Obidike Okafor
The Ogoni people of Rivers state have a reason to smile, after receiving justice as Multi-national oil firm, Shell Petroleum Company, has agreed to pay N45.9 billion compensation to the Ogonis for the losses incurred during the oil spillage that destroyed their towns and means livelihood.
The compensation was imposed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The monetary recompense is coming ten years after the judgment was delivered by the Lagos division of the Federal High court on June 14, 2010, following a suit filed by the Ogoni people.
However, the final decision to pay up the money was endorsed by Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Wednesday.
Shell Petroleum Company agreed to pay the money through its lawyer, Chief A. O Ejelamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to the high court.
Eventually, it was agreed that the money would be handed to the aggrieved persons through their lawyer.
The Ogonis were said to have waived the interest on the principal amount as concession agreed upon during reconciliation.
