Oil Fields Dispute: Court Orders Status Quo as Minister, Others Face Suit

File photo: Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri.
 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and other defendants to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of a case involving four oil fields. The plaintiffs, Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration and Production Ltd, are seeking an interim injunction to prevent the defendants from selling, assigning, or allocating the oil fields in Yorla South, Akiapiri, Diebu Creek East, and Idiok.

The companies claim the four oil fields were meant to replace the Utapate Oil Field, formerly part of OML 13, and OPL 2002, earlier allocated to them but later withdrawn by the Federal Government. They had entered into a settlement agreement with the government, which was accepted and adopted as a consent judgment.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the application, ordering all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the suit. The case has been adjourned until January 26 for a hearing .

The defendants, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, had opposed the application, with the NUPRC's lawyer arguing that the plaintiffs' prayer had already been addressed in a counter-affidavit and preliminary objection.