Shells Nigerian Fine

Shell (NYSE:RDS.A) is involved in a confusing legal action in Nigeria. Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has been ordered to pay US$1.5 billion into the Central Bank of Nigeria, in favor of the Ijaw Aborigenes of Bayelsa State. The underlying legal action is subject to appeal. Nigerian power brokers want it paid to the central bank as a neutral entity until everything is sorted out. I suspect there are no winners here. SPDC probably did environmental wrong to the Ijaw's. Nigeria if they ever get the cash will not hand it over to the Ijaw's. Will Nigeria jeopardize valuable oil revenues to collect a measly US$ 1.5 billion? Will Shell jeopardize their Nigerian investment for a measly US$1.5 billion?