The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has urged Shell Nigeria Exploration and Petroleum Company Limited (SNEPCo) to pay the $3.6 billion fine slammed on it by Lagos Federal High Court.

The compensation is for the settlement of 350 communities in the Niger Delta region who were affected by the spill.

NOSDRA Chairman, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who spoke in Abuja, said the oil spillage which occurred December 20, 2011 due to exploration within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118 severely desecrated the oil rich communities, thereby affecting the rural dwellers.

The incident caused about 40, 000 barrels of crude oil which equals to 6,400,000 litres of crude oil discharged into the seas.

According to Akinyelure, the  incident led NOSDRA to levy  SNEPCo $1.8 billion as compensation for damaging the environment, the affected communities with another $1.8 billion as ‘punitive damages’.

According to the chairman, “SNEPCo in the process instituted a suit against the agency, challenging NOSDRA’s Act and its enforcement functions as contravening the constitution of Nigeria (as amended).”

However, the court, he stated, dismissed the suit and that issues raised by the plaintiff (SNEPCo) were  resolved in favour of the defendant (NOSDRA) and an order dismissing the suit was clearly made by the presiding judge.

“We cannot remain in court in perpetuity, when our people in the Niger Delta region are dying of hunger on daily basis over the years since the occurrence of Bonga oil spillage.