Court grants Malabu Oil Company permission for judicial review in suit against FG

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted leave to Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd to apply for a judicial review by way of declarations and injunctions against the executive action of the Federal Government in splitting OPL 245.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, held that the motion ex-parte, moved by the company’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo, SAN, in respect of the relief sought, was meritorious.

Justice Umar, who took particular notice of some paragraphs in the affidavit attached to the motion, said the court was satisfied by the depositions.

The judge then adjourned the matter until June 11 to enable Malabu file and serve the originating summons in respect of the prayers sought.

Malabu had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/871/2026, named the president, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Petroleum Resources as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

The company had alleged that the government splitted OPL 245 into four separate assets and further reallocating them to Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Ltd, Nigerian Agip Exploration Company Ltd and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

It said the reallocation was via the OPL 245 Resolution Agreement executed on or about March 5.

It further alleged that this was done without the consent of the company’s directors.(NAN)