The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Wednesday restrained the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) from revoking the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95 pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Muslim Sule Hassan granted the order of interim injunction against the respondents following a May 19 motion ex parte filed by Owena Oil and Gas Ltd.

He ordered the parties to maintain status quo in relation to the revocation pending the determination of the Motion on Notice and adjourned till June 10 for hearing.

The Ororo field, discovered in 1986, is located within OML 95 in shallow waters offshore Ondo State. It lies in water depths ranging between 23ft and 27 ft.

Owena, in suit FHC/L/CS/587/2020 filed through its counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, said the 1st and 2nd respondents “purportedly revoked the Ororo Maginal Field without recourse to the Plaintiff.”

It contended that it would suffer “irreparable damage unless the defendants are restrained.”

Justice Hassan upheld the argument.

“An order of interim injunction of status quo is hereby granted retraining the defendants/respondents from taking any step in respect of the revocation of the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95 pending the determination of the motion on notice,” the judge held.

The oil firm filed the motion on notice with the minister, DPR and Guarantee Petroleum Company Ltd as first to third respondents.

It sought four reliefs: an interim injunction restraining the first two respondents “from implementing, continuing to implement, enforcing and/or giving effect to the purported revocation of the Ororo Marginal Field within OML 95…

An injunction restraining them from taking any action on or “putting the Ororo Marginal Field within OML95 in the bid basket or conducting any Marginal Field bid round in respect of Ororo Marginal Field…

“An order restraining both respondents from publishing the purported revocation of the Ororo Marginal Field within OML 95 in the official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

It also sought, among others, an order restraining the respondents from, among others, issuing re-entry permits to the third respondent to deal with the Ororo Marginal Field.

Pinhero added: “This application seeks to ensure that the orders of this Honourable Court are not rendered nugatory or a situation of fait accompli foisted upon the Court pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“Unless restrained by this Honourable Court, the 1st and 2nd Defendants will put the Ororo Marginal Field within OML95 in the bid basket.

“The balance of convenience is in favour of the Applicant who will suffer irreparable damage unless the Defendants are restrained by this honourable court as per the prayers sought in this application pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

______________________________________________________________________ “Timely And Groundbreaking” — Babalola, Nnawuchi Release Casebook On Privacy & Data Protection In NigeriaA timely new publication, Casebook on Privacy & Data Protection in Nigeria, co-authored by Olumide Babalola and Uchenna Nnawuchi, 📘Casebook on Privacy & Data Protection in Nigeria is now available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8TmFZrd ______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 ______________________________________________________________________ Explore Nigeria’s Constitutional System — 17 Chapters, 924 Pages Of Insight By Prof. Hagler Sunny Okorie
“Constitutional Law and Constitutionalism in Nigeria” By Prof. Hagler Sunny Okorie
Call to Order Your Copy: 📞 0803 766 7945 | 0802 863 6615 | 0803 225 3813 ✉️ haglersoco@gmail.com 🏢 Winners Chambers, 135 Ehi Road, Aba, Abia State ___________________________________________________________________ The books are available for purchase at: Online: www.educodex.com | www.selar.com | www.amazon.com | www.mikeozekhome.com Enquiries: +234 704 044 9375 | +234 814 813 4773 | +234 816 872 3532 Email: educodexl@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________________

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ______________________________________________________________________ Alexander Payne Co. Law Reports

Contact & Orders 📞 0704 444 4777 | 0704 444 4999 | 0818 199 9888 🌐 www.alexandernigeria.com