ABUJA: The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit challenging the proposed allocation of four oil fields.
The defendants, in separate preliminary objections before Justice Emeka Nwite, argued that the plaintiffs, Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration and Production Ltd, lacked the legal standing to institute the action.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2678/2025, lists the minister, the AGF and the NUPRC as first to third defendants.
Justice Nwite had on December 22, 2025, ordered the defendants to show cause why the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs in their ex-parte motion should not be granted, following arguments by plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr Ambrose Unaeze.
The oil firms are seeking an interim injunction restraining the defendants from selling, assigning or allocating four oil fields—Yorla South in Rivers State; Akiapiri and Diebu Creek East in Bayelsa State; and Idiok in Akwa Ibom—pending the determination of the substantive suit. They claimed the fields were meant to replace earlier allocations allegedly withdrawn by the Federal Government.
On January 5, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo after Unaeze argued that he had just been served with the defendants’ processes and required time to respond.
At Monday’s hearing, Unaeze informed the court that he had replied to all preliminary objections, prompting Justice Nwite to announce that the issue of jurisdiction would be determined first.
Arguing for the minister, Michael Numa, SAN, submitted that the court lacked jurisdiction as there was no evidence of any specific allocation of oil fields to the plaintiffs. He said allocation of oil assets must follow statutory bid processes and that promises alone did not confer enforceable rights.
The AGF’s counsel, Oyinlola Kolawosho, described the suit as speculative, insisting the plaintiffs lacked locus standi. Similarly, NUPRC’s lawyer, O.M. Atoyeji, argued that the action was statute-barred under the Public Officers Protection Act and the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
Responding, Unaeze maintained that the plaintiffs were entitled to court protection, noting that substantial sums had been paid and several engagements held with government officials.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to April 20 for ruling on the preliminary objections, cautioning parties against actions that could affect the substance of the case.
