Shell has consistently maintained it is not interested in returning to Ogoni. The Guardian, however, discovered it wrote a letter dated October 16, 2017 to the Minister of State for Petroleum, seeking the renewal of its lease, due to expire June 2019.
Excerpts from the letter read: “By way of background, these leases are valid for 30 years from 1989 and so due for renewal before June 2019.