Activists urge Nigeria to refuse Shell's oil selloff plans

An employee at the Shell Agbada 2 flow station looks at the station from behind a gate in Port Harcourt, Sept. 30, 2015. [AFP]

Environmental and human rights activists are calling on the Nigerian government to withhold approval of plans by the London-based oil giant Shell to sell off its operations in the Niger Delta, unless the oil giant does more to tackle pollution in the region caused by the industry.

For decades, foreign energy firms have extracted hydrocarbons from the Niger Delta, and Shell is by far the biggest investor. It has earned the companies - and the Nigerian government - billions of dollars. Locals, however, have long complained of massive environmental damage.