Four Nigerian farmers go get $16m from Shell for oil pollution damage

Shell don agree to pay $16m (£13m) to four Nigerian farmers and dia communities to compensate for damage wey pollution from dia leaked oil pipelines allegedly cause.

Dem agree di sum for one negotiations between di oil company and campaign group Friends of di Earth.

But dem dey give am on di basis of "no admission of liability", one joint statement tok.

Nigeria oil industry don be major source of environmental damage.

Di oil spills for dis case happun from 2004 to 2007 and di pay out follow one decision last year by one Dutch court say di Nigerian branch of Shell dey responsible for di damage.

Shell don argue say di leaks na as a result of sabotage.

Shell headquarters bin dey di Netherlands until early dis year.

Campaigners hail di 2021 court decision as di first time dem don see any multinational legally responsible for wetin dia subsidiary do.

"Thanks to dis compensation, we fit build up our community once again. We fit begin to re-invest for our living environment," Eric Dooh, di son of one of di farmers wey launch di case for 2008 alongside di Dutch branch of Friends of di Earth, tok am.

Di money go go di communities for Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo for di Niger Delta region.

Although di amount of compensation no too plenti, dem see dis development as milestone for rural communities across di Niger Delta region and environmental activists, BBC Ishaq Khalid report.

Oil pollution continue to damage di health and livelihoods of many for di area.

Di four farmers wey begin di case - Barizaa Dooh, Elder Friday Alfred Akpan, Chief Fidelis A Oguru and Alali Efanga – say di leaks from underground oil pipelines don cost dem dia livelihoods as dem contaminate land and waterways.

Oga Efanga and Oga Dooh don die since dem first file dia case so dia sons pursue di case instead.

Plus compensation, last year court ruling order Shell to set up one leak early detection system. Dem don already install am by now, di joint statement by Shell and Friends of di Earth tok.