Court Fixes Ondo Community’s N3.4bn Suit Against Chevron For March 7

Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos will on March 7 hear a N3.4 billion suit filed against Chevron Nigeria Limited by some indigenes of Awoye in the llaje local government area of Ondo State over alleged degradation of their ecosystem.

Justice Allagoa fixed the date after the applicants’ counsel, Ige Asemudara, informed the court that the second respondent in the suit, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, was not served with the hearing notice as ordered by the court on December 5, 2021.

Asemudara, therefore, urged the court for a new date to enable him to serve the second defendant with necessary court’s processes.

Counsel to Chevron, Ama Etuwewe (SAN), did not oppose the application for a new hearing date.

The applicants in the case, who are descendants of Adeli Oriyomi Awoye, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State are asking the court to order Chevron Nigeria Limited, to pay them a total sum of N3,451,970,000 as general and exemplary damages, for alleged breach of their rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and for loss of earnings occasioned by loss of their fishing grounds, fishing lines, fishing fences, gears and surface rights to the Chevron’s oil operations.

They are also praying the court for an order awarding the sum as special damages for the loss of earnings occasioned by loss of their fishing grounds, fishing lines, fishing fences, gears etc and surface rights to Chevron’s oil operations.

The applicants further wants the court to award the sum of N500 million against Chevron, as compensation to them, for the breach of their rights under Section 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) as well as under other statutes and the terms of the applicable Oil Mining Lease as it relates to the killing or displacement of their object of veneration namely; Aghon Erin Adeli.

The applicants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1815/2020, are; Elisha Omomowo; Abiye Ehinmore; John Omomowo; Benson Omomowo; Omotola Omomowo; Eyisogo Omomowo and Shiloh Ebun Omomowo, suing for themselves and as descendants Of Adeli Oriyomi Awoye of Awoye, llaje LGA, Ondo State.