Court grants Malabu oil company right to appeal in lawsuit over OPL 245 against Nigerian government

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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.

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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.

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

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

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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.

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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.

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

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

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