A number of Facebook users asking for action against Shell for the botched surgery of a 10-year-old boy back in 2016 are currently experiencing a restriction on their usage of the comment feature on Facebook, FIJ can report.

Exactly a week ago, FIJ published a story titled ‘Hell in Shell‘, detailing how an otherwise healthy Chinazam Emeka-Okoli, now 17, went in for an appendicitis surgery on September 2, 2016, only to emerge brain damaged.

Seven years ago, a little boy went into a Shell Nigeria health facility in Port Harcourt for an appendicitis operation but left with a brain injury.

Till today, Shell hasn’t told the truth about what exactly went wrong.

Hell in Shell. My next story for @fijnigeria. pic.twitter.com/QIk6l2s7Jl

— ‘Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) May 13, 2023

All the parents have asked for since the surgery are for Shell to adopt the lifecare plan written by a certified US experts for Chinazam, and to release the report of the post-surgery probe panel it set up, chaired by Ibironke Desalu, a professor and consultant anaesthetist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

READ MORE: Hell in Shell

With that not happening, the case eventually ended in court, where Shell’s lawyers Olaniwun Ajayi LP have been deploying the well-worn dilatory tactic of frustrating both the hearing and an out-of-court settlement.

The May 15 release of FIJ’s story sparked progressive outrage online, with many Twitter and Facebook users calling for justice for Chinazam using a number of hashtags.

Some of the most vociferous users of the Facebook comments section in demanding accountability from Shell have now told FIJ they have been restricted from using the feature. A few others have suddenly been unable to log into their accounts, suggesting that hackers might be at work.

“Today, well over 10,000 people have kept asking Shell and their hellish hospital to sign the lifecare plan for Chinazam,” one of such users told FIJ. “No amount of hacking or reporting us will stop us from demanding that a behemoth that sponsors Formula 1 races and girls wearing clothes on runways should take care of the young man.”

Meanwhile, the Facebook has also shadow-banned the account of ‘Fisayo Soyombo, Founder/Editor-in-Chief of FIJ, since he circulated the piece.

Another Facebook user who had made several comments asking for Justice for Chinazam reported a “temporary restriction” on the comment feature over the weekend.

Yet another has had his account locked by Facebook for reasons he still cannot explain.

Officially, Shell made no comments when reached in the buildup to the story, and has maintained the stance since it was published.