Judges in London’s Supreme Court are now hearing a claim filed by more than 30,000 Nigerians whose land was damaged by an oil spill in 2011.
Coastal inhabitants of the states of Bayelsa and Delta suffered serious property loss as a consequence of the oil spill.
Previously, the London Court of Appeal found that the lawsuit was brought too late after the leak happened.
In England, the statute of limitations for property damage claims is six years from the date of the alleged incident.
A pipeline around 120 kilometers off the coast of Nigeria spewed oil for many hours before it was turned off.
At least 40,000 gallons of oil were dumped into the ocean. In what was one of the worst mishaps in Nigerian history,
Communities in Nigeria assert that the oil destroyed their shoreline and continues to impact their land and water supply and that they should be compensated.
A decision might take many months to reach.