Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has challenged the jurisdiction of Federal High Court in Yenagoa to hear a N700 billion oil spill compensation suit filed by indigenes of Aghoro 1 community in Bayelsa.

The people of the community in Ekeremor Council of Bayelsa dragged SPDC to Federal High Court Yenagoa over May 17, 2018 oil leak from the oil firm’s Trans Ramos Pipeline.

When the suit came up for hearing, counsel for SPDC, Mr. Michael Amadi, told the court the oil firm was challenging its jurisdiction to hear the case.

He further urged the court to hands off the case pending the determination of the interlocutory appeal as demanded by the hierarchy of courts since the Court of Appeal was already adjudicating on SPDC’s appeal.

The trial judge, Isa Justice, noted that although the records as claimed by the defendant’s counsel was before the court, he was yet to go through them to be abreast of developments on the case.

He said he was entitled to go through the court processes and records of the Court of Appeal before staying proceedings on the matter.

He adjourned till October 19 to enable him go through the processes filed before the court, adding that he would await the decision of the appellate court as the rules demand.