A oil and gas firm named NJ Exploration Limited has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to award the cost of N100 million against the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) over the latter’s withdrawal of its oil prospecting licences (OPLs) 321 and 323.
The request, among others, are detailed in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/334/2024, dated March 12,2024, and seen by Naijaonpoint on Thursday.
The applicant’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), claimed that his client was part of two consortia of companies to whom OPLs 321 and 323 were respectively awarded to by the Department of Petroleum Resources, via letters dated 20th October 2020.
He noted that his client was shocked to have its OPL withdrawn by the defendant on the grounds of revenue concerns, among others.
The senior lawyer argued that though the NUPRC is empowered to recommend to the Minister of Petroleum, the revocation and suspension of petroleum licenses or leases should be in line with Section 96 (1) (a)-(n) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
The plaintiff, which is the oil exploration company, contended that it did not receive any default notice from the defendant prior to receipt of the OPLs withdrawal letter.
Raji stated,
Raji urged the court to declare that the grounds for the revocation of an OPL of a company are as outlined in Section 96 (1) (a)-(n) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
He also asked the court to nullify the defendant’s withdrawal of its OPLs 321 and 323.
Via a motion on notice, the lawyer also wanted the court to restrain the defendant or any other governmental agency from re-awarding the said OPLs 321 and 323 to any other person pending the determination of the case.
He maintained that his client’s OPLs should not be withdrawn until the five- year duration of the said licenses as contained in the defendant’s letter of award dated 28th December 2024.
Other reliefs sought include:
Naijaonpoint gathered that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed Friday, May 3, 2024, to hear the applicant’s motion on notice against NUPRC.