THE Federal High Court in Abuja
on Friday restrained the Federal Government from taking steps capable of crippling the business operations and freezing of the accounts of AITEO Eastern E & P Company Ltd.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole made the order after hearing an ex parte motion argued by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
The two defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The motion exparte was filed pursuant to Order 26 rule 8 of the Federal High Court Rules, was dated November 23, 2017, and filed on behalf of the plaintiff (Aiteo) by Wole Olanipekun, Chief Mike Ozekhome, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and other senior lawyers.
AITEO is a Limited Liability Company, a major player in the upstream sector of the Nigerian oil industry, as well as the joint/operator of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, an asset which is jointly owned by it and the Federal Government, through the NNPC, which subscribes to 55% of the said asset.
The ex parte application is seeking, “an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants jointly or severally, either by themselves, agents, operatives, privies, servants, aides or through any persons howsoever from interfering with or obstructing the business operations, activities and undertakings of the plaintiff, either by way of embargoing or freezing any of its accounts or obstructing its activities in any way or manner whatsoever”.
It is also praying for an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from relying on, activating, making use of, registering and or applying/enforcing the ex parte restraint order dated 19th October, 2017, made in suit Nos: 82/17, in the Matter of Benedict Peters (alleged offender) and Nnenna Peters and 5 others (third parties) etc, by the Crown Court, sitting at Southwark, United Kingdom, Coram, His Honour, Judge Beddoe, to disrupt, distract, frustrate, meddle (with), hinder, impede the business operations, undertakings, negotiations and activities of the plaintiff.
Justice Kolawole, in a bench ruling yesterday, ordered the Federal Government to maintain the “status quo ante bellum”, pending the determination of the motion on notice dated 23rd November, 2017, filed by the plaintiff against the defendants.
The court further ordered the AGF and EFCC to come and show cause on December 18, why the reliefs sought by the plaintiff in the motion ex parte shall not be granted and directed the defendants to do this by way of affidavit depositions, within seven days of being served court processes filed by the Plaintiff.
The court fixed December 18, 2017, for the hearing of the plaintiff’s motion on notice dated November 23, 2017.