Court orders status quo on four oil fields

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and other defendants in a suit over four oil fields to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Ambrose Unaeze, moved an application seeking an undertaking from the defendants not to take any action that could affect the subject matter of the suit.

The plaintiffs in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2678/2025, are Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration and Production Ltd, while the defendants are the petroleum minister, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The judge had, on December 22, 2025, directed the defendants to show cause why the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs in their motion ex parte should not be granted.

The companies are seeking an interim injunction restraining the defendants from selling, assigning, or allocating Yorla South (PPL 2A32 – OML 11) in Rivers State, Akiapiri (PPL 2A48 – OML 25) and Diebu Creek East (OML 32) in Bayelsa State, as well as Idiok (PPL 2A41 – OML 67) in Akwa Ibom State.

They contend that the four oil fields were meant to replace the Utapate Oil Field, formerly part of OML 13, and OPL 2002, earlier allocated to them but later withdrawn by the Federal Government.

According to Unaeze, the plaintiffs had entered into a settlement agreement with the government for the replacement of the Utapate Oil Field, which was accepted and adopted as a consent judgment.

He said the firms had taken substantial steps and offered consideration in respect of the grant of the licence to operate the oil prospecting licences and to establish a petroleum refinery.

When the case was called on Monday, Unaeze told the court that the 1st and 3rd defendants had just served him with their memorandum of conditional appearance, counter-affidavit, and preliminary objection, and that he would require time to respond.

He, however, urged the court to compel the defendants to give an undertaking not to take any action that could affect the subject matter of the case pending its determination.

Counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Oyinlade Koleoso, said the office had filed a counter-affidavit and preliminary objection but had yet to serve the processes, adding that the AGF was not in a position to allocate oil blocks.

However, counsel to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, J.A. Olugbade, opposed the application, while B.J. Tabaya, representing the minister, said he had no instruction to give the undertaking sought by the plaintiffs.

“But when a case is in court, what are you supposed to do?” the judge asked.

“Party will maintain the status quo,” Tabaya responded.

“So go and tell your client that as far as this matter is before the court, parties should maintain the status quo,” Justice Nwite said.

In his ruling, the judge granted the application and ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the suit. The case was adjourned until January 26 for a hearing.(Punch)