IJAW ACTIIVISTS ISSUED WARNINGS MONDAY AFTER SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY MONDAY FILED AN APPEAL AGAINST A NIGERIAN COURT ORDER TO PAY 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS IN COMPENSATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO ETHNIC IJAW COMMUNITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA, ACCORDING TO DPA. THE APPEAL MEANT THE COMPANY REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH A DEADLINE SET FOR MID-DAY TO PAY A FINE IMPOSED AS REPARATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF THE OPERATIONAL AREA OF SHELL. IT HAD THE BACKING OF NIGERIA'S SENATE. SHELL SPOKESMAN, BISI OJEDIRAN SAID: "YOU CANNOT BE AT AN APPEAL COURT AND AT THE SAME TIME GO ON TO PAY A FINE. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE RULING OF THE COURT OF APPEAL BEFORE WE CAN DECIDE THE NEXT LINE OF ACTION." A MILITANT IJAW GROUP WARNED IT WOULD CARRY OUT FURTHER ATTACKS ON FOREIGN OIL COMPANIES ACTIVE IN THE NIGER DELTA. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF THE NIGER DELTA, JOMO GBOMO, WARNED: "THE PAYMENT OF THAT FINE BY SHELL IS JUST ONE OF OUR CONDITIONS, ALL OF WHICH MUST BE MET BEFORE WE CONSIDER ABANDONING OUR CAMPAIGN." THE MOVEMENT HAS SO FAR KIDNAPPED 10 EXPATRIATE OIL WORKERS THIS YEAR TO DRIVE HOME DEMANDS FOR THE CONTROL OF NIGERIA'S OIL RESOURCES LOCATED IN THE NIGER DELTA AND THE RELEASE OF TWO ETHNIC IJAW LEADERS OF THE NIGER DELTA. THE ETHNIC IJAW WANT IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF IMPEACHED GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE, AN IJAW, DIEPREYE ALAMIEYESEIGHA, CURRENTLY STANDING TRIAL IN AN ABUJA COURT FOR EMBEZZLING PUBLIC FUNDS WHILE IN OFFICE.
