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A Dutch appeals court has ruled that Royal Dutch Shell can be held liable for oil spills at its subsidiary in Nigeria. Judges in The Hague ordered Shell to avail documents that might shed light on the cause of the oil spills and whether leading managers were aware of them. The ruling overturned a 2013 finding by a lower Dutch court that Shell’s Dutch-based parent company could not be held liable for spills at its Nigerian subsidiary.

The legal dispute dates back to 2008, when four Nigerian farmers and the campaign group Friends of the Earth filed a suit against the oil company over a spillage. Shell has always blamed sabotage for the leaks, which under Nigerian law would mean it is not liable to pay compensation.