Shell settlement: Your views

An Ogoni man carries a poster of Ken Saro-Wiwa at a rally in Port Harcourt

Readers of BBC News Online have been commenting on the news that Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to compensate relatives of nine anti-oil campaigners, who were hanged in Nigeria in 1995.

The oil giant had been facing charges in the US of complicity in right abuses under Nigeria's then military rulers.

Shell denies any wrongdoing but said it welcomed the $15.5m (£9.7m) settlement as part of a process of reconciliation with the Ogoni ethnic community.

Read the main story here

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Here are some of your comments:

This is the moment which the Ogoni people have been waiting or looking forward to see with this settlement from shell. I hope peace will continue to come back to the people.

Lanre, Lagos, Nigeria

For a lasting peace in the Ogoniland, Shell has to change its attitude towards the people Bariara Kpalap Mosop Have your say on Shell's pay-out

I am an Ogoni and I will say that the Nigerian government has been quite unfair about this issue. Should the families be fighting for themselves or should there be a high level of government intervention? My family isn't affected, but the truth should be said. Justice is not recognised in this country.

Baeka, Rivers State, Nigeria

This form of settlement only reinforces my belief this court case was just another way to ask Shell for money. It is ALWAYS about the money in Nigeria. No ideals, no other motivations.

Mike_Prud, Gamba, Gabon

I don't think the so called consolidation will make any difference. Shell has to develop the areas by creating more jobs. And the only way they can do this will be by building school, hospitals, good roads, industries and making basic amenities easily accessible to the local people...Not all the people of Ogoniland or Niger Delta as a whole will benefit from the compensation. It's about time the right changes are made so peace can rein in my beloved country. Nigeria we hail thee

Dullah, UK

I rejoice with the families who lost loved ones, but Shell's continued denial of the crimes in Ogoni land and indeed other parts of Nigeria will never initiate true reconciliation or reconciliation of any kind. The way forward for Shell is to acknowledge their part in the degradation of the Niger Delta as is widely known in the region.

Iredje, Nigeria

I think it is high time this company knows the land belongs to us and that we are not animals but human beings. I think money should not be the ultimate goal in this issue but the well being of the people and getting the company shell to take responsibility for the role they played particularly in the supply of arms. As Ghana begins to drill oil, we would be on our guard.

Frank, Tema, Ghana

I am extremely disappointed that this case settled before the proceedings played out in court. Shell would not have settled this case if it did not have anything to worry about. A court case in the U.S. would have revealed the way Shell did (and possible does) business in Nigeria, and would hopefully had changed the way international oil companies deal with and force the federal government to deal with the local people with respect to environmental policies and wealth distribution.

Timothy, Dubai, UAE