NEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - A civil lawsuit against giant oil producer Royal Dutch Shell over the executions of protesters in Nigeria in the 1990s will be settled for $15.5 million, a lawyer for the families of those executed said on Monday.
The settlement agreement comes as the more than decade-long dispute was due to go to trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, said Paul Hoffman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
A formal announcement is expected later in the day.
The lawsuit accused Shell of human rights abuses, including violations connected with the 1995 hangings of prominent activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other protesters by Nigeria's then-military government.
Under the proposed settlement, Royal Dutch Shell will not admit or deny any wrongdoing, Hoffman said.
(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Keywords: SHELL NIGERIA/TRIAL
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The settlement agreement comes as the more than decade-long dispute was due to go to trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, said Paul Hoffman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
A formal announcement is expected later in the day.
The lawsuit accused Shell of human rights abuses, including violations connected with the 1995 hangings of prominent activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other protesters by Nigeria's then-military government.
Under the proposed settlement, Royal Dutch Shell will not admit or deny any wrongdoing, Hoffman said.
(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Keywords: SHELL NIGERIA/TRIAL
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.