Aggah Community Seeks Justice Over Eni, Oando's Role in Flooding

In a bid to seek justice, the Aggah community in Rivers State has taken its case against Eni S.p.A. and Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited to a higher court in Italy. The community, represented by the Egbema Voice of Freedom, Advocates for Community Alternatives, and community activist Nicholas Evaristus Ukaonu, is challenging a recent ruling by the Ordinary Court of Milan. The court had dismissed claims of environmental destruction and ordered the community to pay over €180,000 in legal costs. According to the community, oil operations in the Mgbede oil field, which began in the 1960s, have caused recurrent flooding that has destroyed homes, farmlands, and livelihoods. The community argues that the oil infrastructure, including embankments and elevated access roads, has obstructed natural waterways and worsened the flooding. In its ruling, the Milan Court accepted jurisdiction over the case but held that the 2019 Terms of Settlement had been fulfilled through the construction of drainage channels and the completion of feasibility studies. However, the community maintains that the agreement did not guarantee the elimination of flooding and that the court's decision fails to address the continuing environmental damage. Community activist Nicholas Evaristus Ukaonu described the ruling as a setback, arguing that it overlooks the realities faced by residents. He noted that the court focused on whether infrastructure projects were completed rather than whether they effectively resolved the flooding problem. Legal counsel to the claimants, Chima Williams, also criticized the judgment, insisting that compliance with environmental obligations should be assessed based on outcomes rather than procedural completion. The community remains committed to pursuing legal redress and securing a permanent engineering solution to the flooding, environmental restoration, and compensation for affected residents.