by Dolapo Adelana
The Federal Government of Nigeria Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Lagos commenced trial against one of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), Brassoil Nigeria in suit No: FHC/L/CS/2016 before Justice Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
At the hearing of the matter, 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.
At the end of the day’s proceedings, the Court adjourned the matter to June 5, 2017 for continuation of trial.
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It should be recalled that sometime in 2016, the Federal Government of Nigeria had instituted actions in Court against some International Oil Companies (IOCs) to recover lost revenues arising from undeclared and under-declared crude oil shipments from Nigeria to different parts of the world between 2011 and 2014, starting 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 in respect of investigation into the $17bn worth of Nigeria’s crude oil said to have been stolen from undeclared exports between 2011 and 2014.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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