FG commences trial against oil companies

The Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced trial against one of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), Brassoil Nigeria, over oil theft.

The suit number in the case is : FHC/L/CS/2016.

The suit was filed before Justice Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

During the court hearing on Thursday, the team of lawyers representing the FG, led by Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, called two of its foreign based expert witnesses (a US based Attorney and a US based Professor of Engineering of Loumus LLC) who were examined-in-chief by a lawyer in the legal team of the FG, Mr. Ituah Imhanze and cross-examined by Mr. Abdulkareem and Mr. Tunde Fagbohunlu, SAN, Lead counsel to the Defendant.

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At the end of the day's proceedings, the Court adjourned the case to June 5, 2017 for continuation of trial.

Recall that some time in 2016, the Federal Government had instituted court action against some IOCs in a bid to recover lost revenues arising from undeclared and under-declared crude oil shipments from Nigeria.

The shipments were made from Nigeria to different parts of the world between 2011 and 2014, beginning with shipments to the United States.

An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives had in January this year, given several International Oil Companies and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, a timeline to produce documents concerning investigation into the $17B worth of Nigeria's crude oil said to have been stolen from undeclared exports between 2011 and 2014.