Popular Nigerian flutist, Tee Mac Iseli Omatshola, has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop an alleged plan to sideline him from sharing in the compensation to be paid by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Shell for an oil spillage in the Niger Delta region in 2011.
According to Tee Mac, the House of Representative had directed SNEPCO to pay compensation to all the communities affected by the said oil spillage which occurred on December 20, 2011 at Bonga Oil Field.
In his affidavit before the court, Tee Mac averred that over 40,000 barrels of crude oil spilled across about 185 kilometres along the coast of Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Brass, Warri South-West, and the Burutu areas of Delta and Bayelsa states.
The plaintiff added that the spillage led to environmental pollution, destruction of farmlands, and destruction of aquatic lives, which forced many farmers and fishermen out of the area.
He claimed to have been approached by the leaders of some of the affected communities to seek redress and compensation for them after the incident.
He, however, alleged that he was about to be sidelined from benefitting from the compensation to be paid.
Joined as defendants in the suit which he filed before Justice Saliu Saidu are the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency; the Federal Ministry of Environment and an oil company, Gbutse Property Limited.
Also joined as defendants in the suit are messrs Peter Dunia and Francis Monday.
Tee Mac, through his lawyer, Dada Awosika, claimed that there was an agreement that 40 per cent of the compensation to the affected communities would be used to settle lawyers, consultants and pay a refund of what he had spent in the course of the struggle.
According to him, he organised press conferences and engaged the services of a lawyer firm, GMO Legal Consultant; also enlisted the services of Norwegian Government.
He also claimed to have written a petition to the House of Representatives, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency; and the Federal Ministry of Environment.
He is seeking a declaration that it was against the “rule of natural justice equity and good conscience” for the defendants to sideline him in the compensation directed to be paid over the oil spillage.
At the Wednesday’s proceedings, Justice Saidu directed the service of court processes on the defendants and adjourned further proceedings till February 18, 2016.
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