Internal Shell documents obtained by the BBC reveal that the company continued operating a major Nigerian oil pipeline, the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, for years despite internal warnings about significant pollution risks. As early as 2008, a senior executive cautioned about operating the pipeline with extensive uncontrolled oil theft and infrastructure failures, which violated company standards. Despite acknowledging these risks in 2012, Shell executives permitted the pipeline to continue pumping oil, arguing that shutting it down would lead to more illegal connections. The Niger Delta has suffered decades of severe oil spills, impacting local communities' health and livelihoods, with ongoing legal proceedings in the UK seeking $1 billion in damages. Shell maintains that most pollution is due to large-scale oil theft and sabotage, while local leaders insist the company is negligent.