Port Harcourt, Nigeria
A Nigerian court has ordered Shell Oil to pay $1.5 billion to the Ijaw tribe, in compensation for pollution on their land. The Ijaw have long contended that runoff from oil drilling has contaminated water supplies in Niger Delta villages and ruined the local fishing industry. The Nigerian Parliament demanded the payment last year, but Shell refused and Ijaw militants launched attacks on Shell facilities and kidnapped Shell workers. The company said it is not responsible for the pollution and has already spent tens of millions on community projects in the region. It plans to appeal the fine.
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