Malabu deal: Court to rule on application for joinder

An Abuja Federal High Court has fixed March 17 for ruling in the application by Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd to join the suit challenging the interim forfeiture order of the court on the Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 oil bloc.

Justice John Tsoho adjourned the suit after Malabu’s counsel; Abdullahi Haruna argued the application for joinder. The lawyer had earlier asked the court to vary the order made on the oil bloc.

However, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) and NigeriaAGIP Exploration Ltd both objected to the admission of Malabu in the suit on the grounds that it will delay ruling on the application to revoke the order on the oil bloc.

Counsel to Nigeria-AGIP, Babatunde Fagbohun (SAN) said the application is “frivolous, brigandage and lawless attempt to arrest the ruling of the court in this matter.”

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who had on January 26 obtained the ex parte order to seize the OPL 245, has applied to attach details of the 11-count charges against Shell and AGIP, including its ex-directors before the Abuja Federal High Court and FCT High Court.

The EFCC had earlier filed nine-count charges against former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete and businessman, Abubakar Aliyu over alleged diversion to private companies the sum of $1.1 billion paid into an escrow account from the deal.