Tag Archives: Nigeria
23 January 2014
Lion status in West African protected areas within lion range.
© P. Henschel, L. Coad, C. Burton, B. Chataigner, A. Dunn et al. (see footnote).
A recently published study showed that the lion in West Africa is now critically endangered and faces extinction. From one angle, this would be just one of the large (though unknown) number of species that has previously faced extinction or has even become extinct. But the risk of extinction of some species give more reason for pause than others. Surely the lion – a cultural icon for cultures across the world since time immemorial – deserves a moment of reflection.
The cited study describes how the lion was once the most successful large carnivore. Its range extended from South Africa, across Eurasia, and into the southern United States. Today, the lion’s range is restricted to Africa, with a population of the Asiatic sub-species in India. Lions in Africa have lost 75 percent of their range in the last 100 years. (more…)
31 January 2013
On 30 January 2013, the District Court of The Hague held that Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (Shell Nigeria) is liable for oil spills in Nigeria. Shell Nigeria was sentenced to pay damages to one Nigerian plaintiff for oil pollution damage that was caused by third party sabotage in Nigeria. According to the Court, Shell Nigeria has violated its duty of care and did not take sufficient measures to prevent sabotage by third parties.
The Court dismissed four other lawsuits that were brought by Nigerian farmers and fishermen, together with Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands), against other Shell entities and the parent company, claiming compensation for oil pollution damage that was suffered, and allegedly caused by poor maintenance of the Shell defendants.
Source: Reuters | Dutch court says Shell responsible for Nigeria spills
Source: Dutch judgements on liability Shell (Press Release)
27 July 2012
As part of U.S. efforts to fight drugs, an elite unit of Ghana’s counternarcotics police is trained by U.S. officials. There are plans to train other counternarcotics police squads in Kenya and Nigeria under the so-called ‘West Africa Cooperative Security Initiative’.
(West) Africa is increasingly seen as ‘the new frontier’ in terms of counternarcotics, since cartels from Latin American are more and more using pooly governed states in Africa to smuggle cocaine into Europe.
Source: New York Times | U.S. Drug War Expands to Africa, a Newer Hub for Cartels
