News
Abacha Family Dismisses Govt’s Claim Of Resolving $1.3bn OML 245 Court Cases
The family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha has dismissed the claim by the federal government that all Court Cases relating to ownership of the oil exploration company, Malabu Oil and Gas have been resolved.
The family dismissed the claim said to have been made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, at a public function in Abuja.
In a protest letter against the claim written by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Reuben Okpanachi Atabo, the Abacha family issued a 14-day ultimatum to Lokpobiri to withdraw the alleged false claim or be slammed with contempt of court charges.
In the protest letter received at the AGF and Oil Minister’s offices on July 5, the Abacha family averred that the claim made at the opening session of the “Nigerian Oil and Gas Energy Week” by Lokpobiri was false, spurious, unfounded and an affront to the courts where several cases on ownership of Malabu Oil and Gas are still pending.
Lokpobiri was reported to have said the ongoing negotiations to end the disputes surrounding the Oil Mining License (OML 245) have been concluded and that the oil block will resume production in the national interest.
Malabu Oil and Gas Company belonging to the Abacha family was said to be the owner of the deepwater OML 245 oil block located in the southern Niger Delta but in 2001, the federal government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked Malabu’s license to the oil block.
In 2006, Malabu challenged the revocation in court but the matter was settled out-of-court with the government under former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Trouble, however, erupted in 2011 when Shell and Eni, two major oil companies reportedly acquired the 245 oil block for $1.3 billion from Malabu in a deal approved by the Nigerian government via transfer of rights from Malabu to Shell and ENI in exchange for consideration but without the knowledge of the Abacha family.
Ever since there have been a series of litigations in various Courts by the Abacha family to reclaim ownership of the rich oil block.
The protest letter by the senior lawyer to the Oil Minister read in part “We act as Solicitors to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha and Pecos Energy Ltd and on whose authority and firm instructions we write to you.
“Our Clients’ attention has been drawn to the remarks made by the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources at the opening session of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Energy Week to the effect that all legal issues relating to OPL 245 have been resolved and that the coast is clear for investors to come and invest in OML 245.
“At the said opening session, with the theme ‘Showcasing opportunities, driving investment, meeting demand’, the Minister stated thus; “I am happy to announce to you that we have resolved all the issues. We should be expecting investments in 10s of billions of dollars to create an atmosphere where we become globally competitive. Nigeria fiscals are globally competitive and those Companies that left over a year ago are coming back.”
“Sometime in 1998, Alhaji Mohammed Sani, Kweku Amafagha and Hassan Hindu co-founded Malabu Oil & Gas Limited as initial shareholders
“We wish to inform you that in 2011, there were resolution agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria, Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep and the Nigeria Agip Exploration on OPL 245, our Clients were not represented at the said Resolution Agreements rather Chief Dan Etete who was neither a Director nor Shareholder of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited purportedly represented the company.
“It was these Resolution Agreements that subsequently led to the sale of OPL 254 to Shell Exploration and Nigeria Agip Exploration Company Limited at the cost of $1.3 Billion US Dollars.
“Our Clients who did not participate nor benefit from the proceeds have maintained various actions in court.
“Sir, we also wish to state categorically on behalf of our Clients that there are various ongoing cases at different courts in Nigeria on OPL 245 and to this effect, we need to correct the impression that all legal issues have been resolved specifically, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/201/2017 between Malabu Oil and Gas and the federal government and others.
“We wish to inform you that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also maintained criminal charges against some persons in respect of the purported sale.
“We wish to most respectfully inform you that the controversy surrounding the Oil Prospecting Licence OPL 245 led to the setting up of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the House of Representatives to investigate Malabu Oil & Gas via –a-vis the potential economic value of OPL 245 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“From the foregoing, it is evident that the remarks made by your esteemed self during the opening session of the Nigerian Energy Week are not only misleading but bereft of the factual situation on the ground.
“Furthermore, the said remarks is an affront on the authority of our Courts, having regard to the fact that the matter is sub judice before various courts in Nigeria.
“By Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), judicial powers in Nigeria are vested in our Courts who are meant to determine disputes between individuals and Government.
“Also, we are now in a democratic system of government where the Rule of Law prevails and not the Rule of force.
“From the various courts, it can be seen that the Federal Government of Nigeria is a party to the ongoing suits and therefore the said remarks made by your esteemed self, amount to writing judgment in your own favour notwithstanding the fact that you are a party to the suits.
“In view of the fact that the matters of OPL 245 are in Court, we do not need to go into further details to allow the Hon. Justices of the various courts to dispense justice.
“Take notice therefore that we are by this letter demanding that your esteemed self, issue a statement retracting your remarks made during the opening session of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Energy Week with the theme “Showcasing opportunities, driving investment, meeting demand.” which is in issue within 14 days from the receipt of this letter failure of which we shall take an action against you in a competent Court of Law without further recourse to our Clients.
“Accept the assurances of our highest esteem, “ the lawyer said.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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