Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has ordered the immediate reopening of Shell property, Kidney Island in Port Harcourt for operations.

This comes barely a week after the state government sealed and claimed ownership of the Dutch oil giant’s operational base in Ejama Ebubu, Eleme Local Government Area.

Peoples Gazette could not immediately confirm what led to the new development, but the Governor’s spokesman, Kelvin Ebiri said Mr. Wike took the decision on Thursday after a meeting with the NNPC managing director, Mele Kolo Kyari.

Mr. Ebiri noted that the NNPC boss applauded the Rivers government for their cooperation in reopening Kidney Island while further discussion to resolve the underlying issues continues.

Ejama-Ebubu community filed a suit against the SPDC for environmental pollution, in which the court favoured the community and directed the company to pay the sum of N57.7 billion for damages done in the community arising from the oil spill from the Trans-Niger Pipeline, Peoples Gazette reported.

However, the community sought to take over the Dutch firm’s assets which include a stake in OML 11 over alleged failure of the company to pay the fines. A spokesman for Shell did not return requests seeking comments. 

State Attorney General Zaccheus Adangor said after the court order, officers of the state judiciary held a public auction, and Rivers government bidded successfully for the purchase of Kidney Island and Shell’s shares in OML 11.

Mr. Wike in September 2019, said the government paid $150 million to buy Shell’s 45 percent stake in OML 11. A claim the Gazette had been unable to verify.