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How Shell Killed My Husband, Widow Tells Court in The Hague

Esther Kiobel, one of the widows of the nine environmental activists that were hanged by the Nigerian Military government in 1995, has given testimony in the court case she filed against Shell, an international oil company, over the killing of her husband.
Kiobel and three other widows whose husbands were also among those executed accuse Shell of complicity in the execution of their husbands, and they want the Netherlands-based oil giant to pay them compensation.
Following her husband’s execution, Kiobel said she had to flee to the United States under a refugee programme later became a citizen. The three other women joining her in the suit were not granted visas to travel to attend the court proceedings.
“Shell came into my life to take the best crown I ever wore off my head. Shell came into my life to make me a poverty-stricken widow with all my businesses shut down. Shell came into my life to make me a refugee living in harsh conditions before I came to the United States through a refugee programme and now I am a citizen,” the BBC quoted Kiobel as telling the court on Tuesday.
“The abuses my family and l went through are such an awful experience that has left us traumatised to date without help.
“We all have lived with so much pain and agony, but rather than giving up, the thought of how ruthlessly my husband was killed… has spurred me to remain resilient in my fight for justice.
“Nigeria and Shell killed my late husband, Dr Barinem Kiobel and his compatriots: Kenule Tua Saro-Wiwa, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Paul Levula, Nordu Eawo and the rest of the innocent souls.
“The memory of the physical torture my family and l went through has remained fresh in my mind, and whenever l look at the scar of the injuy l sustained during the incident, my heart races for justice all the more.”
However, Shell, in a statement filed in its defence, denied that it colluded with the then military regime in Nigeria in the execution of the Ogoni nine. The company claimed it appealed to the government for clemency but that the appeals were waved aside.
“We have always denied, in the strongest possible terms, the allegations made in this tragic case. SPDC [the Shell Petroleum Development Company] did not collude with the authorities to suppress community unrest, it in no way encouraged or advocated any act of violence in Nigeria, and it had no role in the arrest, trial, and execution of these men,” the statement read.
“We believe that the evidence clearly shows that Shell was not responsible for these distressing events.”
In 1990, author Ken Saro-Wiwa led the formation of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) to raise awareness to the environmental degradation in Ogoni land as a result of oil exploration activities, demanding compensation from the federal government.
He and eight other activists were arrested and accused of murdering four Ogoni traditional rulers. They were tried secretly, convicted, and sentenced to death by hanging. The trial was described as a sham by members of the international community.
But despite the local and international outcry, the activists were publicly executed in November 1995.
Kiobel first filed the lawsuit against Shell at a federal court in New York, USA, in 2002, but the case was later dismissed by the US Supreme Court in 2013 for jurisdictional reasons.
In 2017, she filed another civil action in the Netherlands—home of Royal Dutch Shell—based on the same claims.
She also claimed that she was whipped, sexually assaulted, and detained without food, water, or other basic necessities for weeks when she tried to bring food to her husband at a detention camp.
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Zamfara, Oracle Partner to Drive Digital Skills Development

The Zamfara State government has signed an agreement with Oracle to invest in youth development, workforce capacity building and the digital economy under Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative (SDI).
The agreement was signed at Oracle’s Offices in London, United Kingdom, with Governor Dauda Lawal representing the Zamfara State government.
A statement on Wednesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the development will foster collaboration between the Zamfara Information and Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) and Oracle.
Secretary to the State Government, two Special Advisers and the Executive Secretary of ZITDA were also present at the event, along with Siobhan Wilson, Oracle UK Country Leader and Senior Vice President, EMEA.
The statement said, “Zamfara State government has signed a strategic agreement with Oracle to drive digital skills development across the state.
“Facilitated through the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, the collaboration will use the expertise and learning services of both Oracle Academy and Oracle University in their digital transformation efforts.
“The collaboration signifies a commitment to education and a strategic investment in the future of Zamfara’s youth, workforce and digital economy.
“Oracle Academy, Oracle’s global philanthropic educational programme offers a robust portfolio of technology education teaching and learning resources, including curriculum and software access, to educators and students worldwide.
“With the support of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, these resources will be made available to validate higher education institutions across Zamfara.
“ZITDA will help lead efforts to integrate Oracle Academy offerings into Zamfara’s higher education curriculum, equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to guide students in learning hands-on tech skills and toward Oracle’s professional certifications and foster a new generation of tech-savvy leaders.
“In addition, Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative, a global programme that provides access to world-class learning and certification programmes at no cost to eligible learners, will further expand opportunities for learners in Zamfara.
“Through a co-branded Learning Portal in collaboration with ZITDA, Oracle University plans to provide free access to digital learning paths and foundational certifications for eligible participants across Zamfara. This includes curated learning journeys offering over 200 hours of professional-level training in high-demand areas such as Cloud, AI, Data Science and APEX development.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Dauda Lawal restated that the collaboration with Oracle is part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Zamfara into a hub of innovation, education, and digital excellence.
He said, “on behalf of the government and the good people of Zamfara State, I extend my deepest appreciation to Oracle for believing in our vision and for partnering with us on this transformative journey.
“What we are doing today goes beyond technology, it is about giving hope, creating opportunities and unlocking the future. By investing in digital education and innovation, we are offering real alternatives to poverty, to joblessness and to despair. I sincerely thank Oracle for standing with us, believing in the power of partnership, purpose, and shared dreams.
“Today, we are not just signing a document, we are making a promise, promise that every child in Zamfara will have a fair chance to dream, to learn, and to succeed. A promise that technology will be our bridge to a stronger, more inclusive economy. And, a promise that Zamfara will not merely participate in the digital revolution, we will lead it.”
News
Power Ministry, NAEC Partner to Unlock Nuclear Energy Potential

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has expressed willingness to collaborate with Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, to facilitate the establishment of nuclear power plants in the country.
With power generation averaging 5,000 Megawatts for a population of over 230 million people, Chief Adelabu described nuclear energy as the energy of the future for Nigeria.
The Minister stated this in Abuja when the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Engr. Anthony Ekedewa, visited him.
A statement by the Ministry said the collaboration would boost power generation and stabilise the power sector as part of the reforms being undertaken in the sector.
As an advanced level of power generation, the Minister said the country would benefit significantly from a nuclear power plant especially, with the technology that will come in as it will make power generation less cumbersome.
He said the participation of the commission in the power sector was long overdue and promised to work with the agency.
Adelabu however advised against the proposed establishment of four power plants with capacity to generate 1200 MW each, by the Commission, explaining that modular nuclear reactor is the way to go especially with the way the government has decentralised the sector.
“This is an area that States can benefit from. A lot of investment has gone into the development of the commission over the years and Nigeria should start reaping from the investment”.
According to him, although the process is tedious and costly, the outcome is more beneficial to the country adding that nuclear power plant is an advanced stage of energy generation.
“I wish we are there already in this country, but we are not there yet. We should however ask ourselves, how much of the conventional source of energy have we exploited? Nuclear power plant tends to be at the lower end of concern over the years, but we have to understand that nuclear energy is the future of energy generation”, he added.
Earlier, Ekedawa briefed the Minister on the activities of the commission, which he said was established in 1976, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a military head of state.
He said, as a renewable energy, nuclear energy could power the entire country. He said the Commission is proposing the establishment of nuclear power plants with the capacity to generate about 1200MW.
“We want to work and partner with you in the area of power generation. We can be a base load for the country and we have two possible sites, Geregu in Kogi State and Idu in Akwa Ibom State. We have carried out the feasibility studies. This collaboration is part of our energy policy, but we are however limited by resources to undertake this project”, Ekedewa said.
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Experts Urge Adoption of Digital Tools to Strengthen Nigeria’s Compliance Culture

At a recent high-level workshop organized by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance which brought together lawmakers, regulators, and leaders from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to address Nigeria’s persistent challenges in regulatory adherence and governance, stakeholders have highlighted the urgent need for digital innovation to tackle deep-rooted compliance gaps and foster a culture of accountability across public institutions.
The two-day event, which held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja, themed “Consolidating Strategies for Strengthening Legislative Compliance by MDAs,” featured leading industry experts from EFCC, NBA, Ministry of Finance and key players in Nigeria’s financial sector, including fintech firms, championed the deployment of digital tools as essential for improving transparency and enforcing legislative resolutions.
In his opening remarks, the Senate President, represented by Senator Osita Izunaso emphasized that compliance is “fundamental to democratic governance, adding that it was not optional,” underscoring the Senate’s renewed commitment to robust enforcement and institutional reform.
Furthermore, he cited the constitutional provisions that granted legislative powers for lawmaking generally and to make laws for “peace, order and good government”. The workshop also highlighted, with a wide array of statistics, the high cost of non-compliance; root causes of non-compliance while attempting to proffer solutions.
Amidst calls for systemic reforms, Okechukwu Eke, General Counsel at Moniepoint Inc., delivered a keynote presentation focused on the responsibilities of fintechs in consumer protection and financial literacy.
Eke highlighted Moniepoint’s commitment to building a compliance culture that goes beyond mere formalities to drive genuine impact. “At Moniepoint, we believe innovation in financial services must go hand-in-hand with strong consumer protection and legal responsibility,” Eke stated.
He stressed the unique position of fintechs, which often serve vulnerable populations with low financial literacy, making robust consumer protection paramount. “Misuse or misunderstanding of products can cause significant financial harm,” Eke noted, adding that “legal compliance builds essential trust in digital financial services.”
The presentation outlined key legal responsibilities for fintechs, including transparency, data privacy, fair marketing, effective grievance handling, and responsible lending.
Other contributions advocated for leveraging technology to embed compliance more effectively. Suggestions arising from the workshop, supported by Moniepoint’s perspective, included empowering legislative oversight committees with real-time monitoring dashboards linked to MDAs and implementing Digital Compliance Tracking Systems.
These tools, it was argued, would allow for continuous monitoring and reporting, moving away from periodic checks towards a more dynamic and effective compliance regime.
The push for digital solutions aligns with Moniepoint’s drive to ensure that the rapid innovation characteristic of the fintech sector is matched by equally advanced methods for ensuring regulatory adherence and protecting consumers.
The call for enhanced digital oversight complements other recommendations from the workshop, such as regular reviews of legal frameworks to match innovation and strengthened collaboration between regulators like the CBN, FCCPC, NDPC, EFCC, and the National Assembly.
The workshop concluded with a reinforced commitment from legislative leaders, including Committee Chairman, Senator Garba M. Maidoki and Vice-Chairman, Senator Ede Dafinone, to pursue collaborative and innovative solutions for Nigeria’s compliance challenges.
They both averred that leveraging technology and cross-sector collaboration is vital for closing compliance gaps, enhancing oversight, and ensuring that resolutions passed by the National Assembly are fully implemented for the benefit of all Nigerians.
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