by Chidi Okoye

Oil giant, Shell, has lost its bid to stop the hearing of a case filed against it by four Nigerian fish farmers in a Dutch court.

The decision of the court to rule in the landmark civil action instituted by the Nigerian farmers from Delta State was announced on Wednesday.

The farmers are suing Shell for poisoning their fish ponds and farmlands with leaking pipelines.

The oil giant had argued that the case, which was launched in 2008, should be heard in Nigeria but lawyers for the four argued that Shell makes key policy decisions at its Hague headquarters, so the Dutch court has jurisdiction.

The case at The Hague Civil Court marks the first time a Dutch company has been sued for alleged environmental mismanagement caused by a foreign subsidiary and could pave the way for similar claims if it succeeds.