Amnesty International has hailed a judgement from the West African regional ECOWAS court yesterday that the Nigerian government and multinational corporations have been responsible for years of pollution in the Niger Delta.

The organisation said the judgement is a crucial precedent that vindicates the human right to a healthy environment.

Kolawole Olaniyan, a legal advisor for Amnesty International, said:

“This historic ruling affirms the human right of the Nigerian people to live a life free from pollution and makes clear that the government must hold the oil companies to account.

“Amnesty International joins the many Nigerian human rights activists in welcoming this decision and invites the government to identify the steps it will now take to make this judgment a reality.”