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The Federal High Court, Abuja
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court yesterday struck out a lawsuit brought against the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.
In a ruling delivered by Justice H. Muazu, the judge struck out the case brought by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) seeking to compel the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) or his proxies to prosecute Komolafe within 30 days.
Specifically, the NGO, Registered Trustees of Trust Field Empowerment Initiatives, in the suit marked FCT/HC/GAR/CV/128/2025, had leveled unsubstantiated allegations against the NUPRC boss in respect of the award of oil blocks and fixing of applicable signature bonuses.
It also sued the commission as well as the AGF, who were the third and first defendants respectively in the matter.
But in the respective preliminary objections filed by the three defendants, the counsel challenged the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court to hear and determine the subject matter based on Section 251(1a)(n)of the 1999 Constitution.
The defendants argued that the constitution specifically confers jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to the exclusion of any other court in civil causes or matters relating to the revenue of the government of the federation.
The law further states that the Federal High Court reserves exclusive authority on civil causes or matters which pertain to mines and minerals including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas.
Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), Mr. Oladele Gbadeyan; and Chief Chiesonu Okpoko (SAN) represented the AGF, Komolafe and the NUPRC respectively. They therefore sought an order awarding the sum of N100,000,000 against the claimant as damages for filing “such a frivolous and vexatious suit to harass, intimidate and ridicule” the NUPRC boss.
In his ruling on the objection, Justice Muazu agreed with the defence on the point of jurisdiction. He also awarded a cost of N3 million each to the three respondents against Trust Field Empowerment Initiatives for filing the suit, on the grounds that it was frivolous. (THISDAY)
