AFFIDAVIT OF DEPRIVATION OF CHRISTOPHER EBI I, CHRISTOPHER EBI , male, Christian, Fisherman, Citizen of Nigeria residing at Imbikiri community , Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State do hereby state on Oath and state as follows: 1. I am the 1st Plaintiff in this suit by virtue of which position I am familiar with the facts of this case. 2. That I am a fisherman by profession and belong to the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria. 3. That my main area in the fishing business is croaker production. 4. That my least daily croaker production is 60kg with the market value of NGN 1200.00 per kg. 5. That on the 20th day of December, 2011 an oil spill occurred at the Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limiteds Bonga offshore oil field spilling over 40,000 barrels of oil into the Atlantic Ocean. 6. That the said Bonga Oil Spill impacted severely on the fishing Ocean and Creek waters especially those along the coastal shore lines spanning over 950 square kilometers cutting across the Niger Delta States of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Rivers. 7. That consequent on this spillage and the dangers it posed to both human and aquatic lives, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) issued a stay away order on the 22nd day of December, 2011 directing fishermen/ women to move away from the water pending when the water is clean and fit for fishing. 8. That following that spillage and the stay away order made by NOSDRA, I had to stay clear of the waters which led to my seriously losing my major source of sustenance. 9. That me and my colleagues strict compliance to the stay away directive by NOSDRA has deprived us of our main source of livelihood thereby occasioning untold hardship on me and my entire family and dependants. 10. That having complied with the directives of the NOSDRA and waited for a reasonable time without having a contrary directive, I was informed by the leaders of our organisation that they had written to NOSDRA requesting a courtesy visit. 11. That our request for courtesy visit was graciously granted by NOSDRA 12. That on the 12th day of September, 2012 the leadership of ARFAN from the five Niger Delta States namely, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Rivers and the legal team of the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) paid the officials of NOSDRA under the leadership of Sir Peter Idabo a courtesy visit to discuss the issues of the impacts of the Shell Bonga oil spill on the fishermen/women and the directives of NOSDRA. 13. That it was at that meeting in NOSDRA office that the Director-General, Sir Peter Idabo, formally announced to us that we should go back to the water to continue our activities while assuring us of its safety. 14. That the NOSDRA Director-General clarified that the USD 5 Billion award against Shell was a recommended administrative punitive fine for destroying the environment and affecting the source of livelihood of the people. 15. That ever since the oil spill incidence, despite writing and submitting claims to Shell, there has been no positive response from Shell till date.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 10:31:11 +0000
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