Even if true, there is a huge differential in capability and therefore power.

Right, from Shell's perspective Dutch intelligence services are probably expensive and ineffective. Manipulating Nigerian officials to incarcerate activists is much cheaper and achieves the same goals.

But let's not assume that the Dutch government is therefore off the hook. I would not be surprised if Dutch diplomats extract trade information (through pacts, treaties and simple espionage) that gets passed on to Shell.

We might be low on the James Bond style intelligence signals, but as a country that's an order of magnitude richer than we should be by any sane measure you can bet we've got our trademark smiling men in suits wherever the money flows.

I agree that that's true.