An environmental activist, Mr. Anderson Achilike, on Wednesday prayed the Federal High Court, Abuja to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to investigate activities of Shell Petroleum Development Company. Shell Petroleum Development Company In a suit, filed in the court on Wednesday, Achilike accused Shell of non-remittance and making under declaration of crude oil shipment as well as non-declaration of shipments amounting to N5 trillion. He said that the EFCC investigation should aim at finding out the amount or quantity of crude oil coming into or supplied to and exported from Shell Forcados and Bonny Oil Terminals and Bonga. He also wants the investigation to reveal the amount or quantity of crude oil claimed to have been or supposed to have been exported from the terminals from Jan.1, 2001 to Aug. 31, 2019. The plaintiff further asked the court to determine whether the deliberate non-remittance and under declaration of crude oil exploration among others by Shell amounted to economic crimes and sabotage of Nigeria’s economy. Tension in Imo, over criminal activities Anambra Monarch reads riot act to subjects over Osu Caste System “The suit is occasioned by the huge losses Nigeria has suffered in the hands of Shell due to their non-remittances and under declaration of crude oil exportation and shipment from their terminals hence stealing the revenue accruable to the Nigerian people and which is estimated to be N5 trillion.” The plaintiff also asked the court to make a declaration that the act or conduct of Shell in not remitting and under-declaring crude oil exportation and shipment was illegal, unlawful and constituted economic sabotage against Nigeria. Other reliefs sought by the plaintiff include an order directing and compelling the EFCC to publish or make public the report of its investigation within 14 days. In the suit as filed, the plaintiff is praying the court to make an order directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and EFCC to prosecute Shell if the investigation reveals that the company committed a crime. The plaintiff, who said he was part of a group known as National Interest Defenders, listed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as second and third defendants. Speaking to newsmen, the plaintiff said that he was instituting the action as a matter of urgent national importance to save the dwindling economic fortunes of the country. According to him, with the case we have in court, Nigerians should be assured that upon recovery of this stolen money, the next level economic agenda of the president to lift 100 million Nigerians from poverty will take off. The suit has yet to be assigned to a judge. Source: NAN Vanguard News
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