Marginal oilfields licencing: Ijaw leaders urge court to void licences

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Some Ijaw leaders on Thursday urged the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa to cancel the June 29 marginal oil field licences as they were issued in breach of a restraining order of the court.

Mr Enie Otrofanowei, Counsel to the plaintiffs told the court that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources flouted an April 5 injunctive order by granting the licences that they were restrained from granting by the court.

“We are seeking to invalidate or set aside the licences and we seek a short adjournment since the defendants are absent today, to argue our application,” Otrofanowei said.

It will be recalled that presiding judge, Justice Isa Dashen had on April 5 restrained the Federal Government from issuing licences for marginal oilfields in the Niger Delta pending determination of a pending suit by Ijaw leaders.

Some Ijaw leaders had in 2020 approached the court seeking to halt licensing of marginal oilfields located in their domains, but following setbacks and delays suffered by the suit, the bid winners were announced on June 1, 2021.

Marginal oilfields are shallow assets with less than 10 million barrels reserves that require further development before production.

Presiding Judge, Justice Isa Dashen however adjourned until Oct 5 for continuation of hearing and ordered that hearing notices be issued to all defendants who were absent in court.

Plaintiff in the suit marked No. PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020 are Chief Brown Agu (Opu Agu VIII), Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone, President Ijaw Women Connect and Mr Femowei Friday on behalf of themselves and the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality.

On the other hand, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources are defendants in the suit.

Dashen inherited the case from Justice Abimbola Awogboro following her transfer to the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.