Family of Late Shell Engineer Demands $100M, Alleges Medical Negligence

The family of the late Eto Obhuo, a former Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) engineer, has demanded justice and $100 million in compensation, claiming his death resulted from gross medical negligence.

In a pre-action letter dated September 19, 2025, their lawyers, led by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, accused SPDC and affiliated entities of wrongful death. Obhuo was admitted to Shell Industrial Area Hospital, Rumuobiakani, Port Harcourt, on June 16, 2011, but died 15 hours later under the hospital’s care.

The family alleges that medical reports, police investigations, and findings from the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Committee revealed negligence, including failure to obtain informed consent, undisclosed drug risks, unauthorized airway procedures, inadequate monitoring, and delayed intervention despite signs of respiratory distress. They also claim discrepancies in medical records and post-mortem reports suggested attempts to conceal potential criminal liability.

Obhuo, 32, was a top graduate from Rivers State University of Science and Technology and a promising engineer whose death left dependents in hardship. Despite previous correspondence in 2021 indicating Shell’s willingness for a settlement, no resolution was achieved.

The family’s demands include full disclosure of medical records, hospital procedure explanations, internal investigation reports, payment of accrued death benefits, and $100 million for trauma, loss, and dependency.

The pre-action notice, delivered to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited on September 30, 2025, and Shell Plc’s London office on October 1, 2025, warned that failure to respond within 14 days would prompt civil and criminal legal action.

Quote:
“Discrepancies in medical notes and post-mortem records suggest attempts to conceal likely criminal liability rather than ensure transparency,” the family’s solicitors stated.

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