Court awards N82b damages against NNPC, Mobil in oil spillage case

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded the sum of N82 billion as general damages against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited over an oil spillage case in Ibeno Community within Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

The judgement was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who ordered the oil corporations to pay the sum in 14 days, or pay eight percent of the sum, per annum.

Prior to the recent judgement, Justice Taiwo had struck out ExxonMobil from the list of defendants, on account of being an American registered company, leaving the NNPC and Mobil producing Nigeria Unlimited.

The high court held that the oral and documentary evidence produced by Mobil, was not helpful in their case, describing them as serving pre-determined assets.

According to the justice, the action of Mobil is a clear violation of section 11 of the oil pipeline act that makes it mandatory for the oil companies to monitor and fix defective pipelines.