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UNEP report on Ogoni pollution - holding those responsible to account

The well-water in Ogale has 900 times the WHO standards for water contamination. The NACGOND coalition bottled some to take to diplomats, politicians, and oil company executives to see if they would like to drink it.
>> Watch the slideshow to see state of the drinking water

Latest news on oil spills:

>> The Nation: UNEP Report: NNPC, partners will restore Ogoni land, says Oniwon
>> Reuters: Nigerian president sets up oil spill report team
>> 228 Days Since the Federal Government was told the Ogale People are being poisoned
>> AFP: Polluted Nigerian region may need biggest ever cleanup
>> 'Protection of land, waters and health of communities should be paramount' says coalition
>> BBC: UN call for $1bn fund to clean up Nigeria oil spills
>> Guardian: Niger delta oil spills clean-up will take 30 years, says UN
>> 'Nigerian system for preventing and redressing oils spills broken' says coalition
>> UNEP Ogoniland Oil Assessment Reveals Extent of Environmental Contamination and Threats to Human Health
>> Patrick Naagbanton on Shell's oil spill in Bodo

Latest reports on oil spills:

>> SDN's summary of UNEP report
>> UNEP Ogoniland Oil Assessment Reveals Extent of Environmental Contamination and Threats to Human Health
>> Bloomberg: Nigeria army names suspect in oil explosion
>> Sweetcrude: Vanguard's monthly review of the Nigerian Energy Industry
>> Thirst for African Oil: Asian National Oil Companies in Nigeria and Angola

Articles in this section....

August 2011

A report by UNEP on Ogoni has found that the extent of contamination is far greater than has previously been acknowledged.

The Federal Government was informed by UNEP in December last year that oil pollution in the drinking water of Ogale was at 900 times the limit set by the WHO as safe yet no action has been taken.

>> Read the UNEP report on Ogale's water

Meanwhile Shell's admission of responsibility in a British court for two large oil spills, also in Ogoni (Bodo), underscores the damage and liabilities that have been lying dormant in the region for years.

LATEST NEWS - Thursday 18th August

No detail/confirmation of media report that State Government has given contracts for several water projects in Eleme, Tai and Okrika...

Confirmed with CEHRD that 6 water tankers came to the community on Monday. This seems insufficient for the size of a densely populated area and its not clear if there is a plan for ongoing water deliveries...

CEHRD also reports that tankers did not reach all areas and no tankers were seen on Tuesday 16th August...

Government announced a multi minister committee to look into the UNEP report and how to respond...

The UNEP report in summary

The UNEP assessment of environmental pollution in Ogoni throws a spotlight back on a small part of the Niger Delta known for its peaceful protests in the 1990s and the subsequent execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of Ogoni Peoples) leaders.

The central finding of the report is that pollution from incidents that span 40 years is far more pervasive than has previously been acknowledged.

>> Download the summary from SDN for an overview of the report

The Bodo Oil Spills - More than a footnote

The admission by Shell of liability for two oil spills in southern Ogoni forestalled their appearance for the first time in a British court for their operations in Nigeria. The case was brought by class action specialists Leigh Day - who also acted for local communities in the infamous Trafigura toxic dumping in Ivory Coast.

>> Download the summary from SDN for an overview of the recent case and Shell's liabilities