The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has declared that payments for environmental health services to the FCTA or unauthorised bodies are invalid.
Mr. Kingsley Madaki, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to the Executive Chairman of AMAC, said this in a statement in Abuja on Monday, December 29, 2025.
According to the statement, by this development, the council is asserting its exclusive legal right to collect these revenues from residents and businesses.
Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)
It explained that the directive is rooted in the 4th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which vests the regulation of social and environmental services in local government authorities.
The statement stressed that AMAC retained the sole authority to manage and collect revenue for specific environmental activities.
These include sanitary inspections for facility fitness, pest control services like fumigation, and food and water safety protocols, including medical screenings for handlers.
Additionally, the Council oversees permits for car washes, laundries, and public conveniences.
AMAC raised the alarm over reports of impostors posing as FCTA agents to divert local government revenue.
“In response, the newly formed AMAC Environmental Cadet officials are launching comprehensive enforcement sweeps to eliminate these fraudulent activities.
”To stay protected, business owners are urged to verify the credentials of any inspector and immediately report individuals soliciting cash.
“The council stresses that all legitimate payments must be processed exclusively through authorised AMAC revenue accounts to ensure legal compliance,” the statement said.
It added that to combat fraud, AMAC had implemented a Single Account policy, which emphasized that payments must be made into the council’s designated bank accounts.
”Any payments made to the FCTA Public Health Department or any other organisation shall be rendered invalid.
“Such payments will not be recognised as proof of compliance, and the payer shall be liable for default,” it warned.
AMAC also warned that anyone paying unauthorised agents would do so at their own risk and would still be held liable for non-compliance under AMAC its bylaws.
The Foreign Ministers of Russia and African states agreed on a joint action plan from 2026 to 2029 aimed at strengthening cooperation in trade and environmental protection.
The agreement was reached during the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Moscow, according to a report on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, carried by TV BRICS.
The conference, the report said, was attended by heads and representatives of the foreign policy agencies of 52 African states and executive bodies of eight regional integration associations.
Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov
Key events of the forum included a meeting between the Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, and the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as well as a joint press conference by the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Egypt.
The conference was attended by heads and representatives of the foreign policy agencies of 52 African states and executive bodies of eight regional integration associations.
Key events of the forum included a meeting between the Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, and the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as well as a joint press conference by the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Egypt.
The ministers participating in the forum conference agreed on the implementation of joint projects and on strengthening cooperation in environmental protection and climate, education, healthcare, culture, sport, youth policy, trade and the media.
Following the conference, a joint statement was adopted reflecting common approaches to addressing global challenges.
A number of bilateral documents were also signed during the event.
“We have grounds to state that the conference held has created a solid foundation for the high-quality preparation of the third Russia–Africa Summit, scheduled for 2026,” Lavrov was quoted as saying on the social media accounts of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Over two days of the forum conference, the Russian delegation took part in more than 20 meetings and events.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia held bilateral talks with his African counterparts from the Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, and The Gambia.
The others are the Foreign Affairs ministers of Mauritania, Malawi, the Seychelles, Rwanda, Egypt, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, South Sudan, and the Economic Community of West African States.
Across farming communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Kogi, Enugu and Imo states, a quiet but growing shift is taking place. Smallholder farmers many of them women are increasingly adopting organic pest control and soil health practices after participating in step-down agroecology trainings supported by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS).
The trainings, conducted between May and October 2025, were delivered by over 15 facilitators who had earlier undergone a Training-of-Trainers programme on an Organic Pest Control and Soil Health Manual. The facilitators then returned to their communities to translate the manual into practical, hands-on learning tailored to local realities.
Step-down agroecology trainings were supported by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS)
From Training Rooms to Farmlands
According to facilitator reports submitted across multiple states, the step-down trainings focused on composting, organic pest control using locally available materials such as neem and garlic, crop rotation, mulching, and liquid bio-fertilisers.
In Ajaokuta, Kogi State, Cynthia Shaibu, a vegetable farmer, reported early changes on her farm after adopting organic methods.
“The organic pest control did wonders for me,” Shaibu said. “My okro plant that usually experiences pest diseases was well taken care of after the application of our organic pesticides.”
Also in Ajaokuta, another beneficiary, Ibrahim Adejoh Arome, reported improvements in both yield and crop quality.
“The organic fertiliser did well for my corn this year,” he said. “The harvest improved and the quality of crops largely improved.”
In Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, a woman farmer who participated in the training described an outcome she said she had never experienced before.
“My corn was doing so good and had four cobs on a stem, which I have never experienced,” she said.
Interest Spreads Beyond Initial Trainees
Beyond direct participants, facilitators documented increasing interest from neighbouring farmers and community members who were not originally part of the target groups.
In Gasaki community along the FCT–Nasarawa axis, a retraining session originally meant for a small group expanded significantly after visible results were observed on beneficiaries’ farms. The retraining was led by a beneficiary and attracted more than 50 people, including observers from surrounding farms.
Participants from the Gasaki community reported that the accessibility of materials helped drive acceptance.
“The ingredients were familiar and easy to get, which made acceptance and adoption much easier,” beneficiaries said.
In Makurdi, Benue State, farmers began applying the manual even before in-person training sessions were held, after receiving soft copies through WhatsApp groups.
“We shared the manual with others on WhatsApp, and some people started using it even before the physical meeting,” participants in Makurdi reported.
In Shishipe Village, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, youth participants organised as Community Green Ambassadors reported that their improved farm performance drew interest from other villagers.
“After seeing the results, other farmers around us wanted to learn how to prepare the organic pesticides,” youth participants in Shishipe Village said.
Health, Cost and Safety Driving Adoption
For many women farmers, health and safety considerations were a major reason for adopting agroecological practices.
In Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, Yusuf Princess, a smallholder farmer, said organic solutions offered a safer alternative to chemicals.
“The neem-based solution was cost-effective and safer to handle compared to the synthetic pesticides I used before,” she said.
In Owerri, Imo State, a woman trainee reflected on the satisfaction of harvesting chemical-free produce.
“The joy in harvesting fresh produce without any chemical application was more than massive,” she said.
Farmers along the Chukuku–Kuje axis of the FCT also reported changes in crop performance and soil condition.
“We noticed obvious changes in the colour of the leaves, especially vegetables, and an increase in the size of cassava and maize stems,” women trainees in the area said.
Several beneficiaries also pointed to reduced production costs due to lower dependence on chemical inputs.
A Model Showing Signs of Scale
Facilitator reports indicate that several beneficiaries went on to train between two and ten additional farmers each, often family members, neighbours or members of cooperative groups. This peer-to-peer spread has emerged as one of the most notable outcomes of the programme.
In Enugu State, beneficiaries described a broader mindset shift associated with the transition.
“Eating healthy is all about having an organic farm,” a woman farmer in Aninri LGA said.
Similarly, women farmers across communities in the FCT reflected on initial scepticism about organic methods.
“At first we doubted organic methods because chemicals work faster,” they said. “But after seeing the results, we believed.”
Implications for Nigeria’s Food System
With smallholder farmers estimated to produce more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s food, analysts say the methods used at household and community levels have far-reaching implications for national food security. Beyond commercial production, the ability of families to grow all or part of their food plays a critical role in improving nutrition, ensuring safer food, and cushioning households against rising food prices.
Facilitator reports from the agroecology trainings suggest that organic pest control and soil health practices are increasingly being adopted not only for income generation, but also for household consumption. Several beneficiaries reported prioritising chemical-free produce for their families, citing health concerns and the rising cost of synthetic inputs.
In Owerri, Imo State, a woman trainee described the satisfaction of harvesting food grown without chemicals.“The joy in harvesting fresh produce without any chemical application was more than massive,” she said.
Observers note that when such practices are adopted across households and communities, they help reduce exposure to harmful agro-chemicals, improve dietary diversity, and augment household food supply and income. In the aggregate, this can contribute to improved food availability, better nutrition outcomes, and greater resilience particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.
While the step-down trainings directly reached several hundred farmers, facilitators reported that interest now exceeds the scope of the initial programme, with increasing demand for follow-up sessions, demonstration farms and expansion to additional communities.
As Nigeria searches for more resilient and sustainable food systems, the changes unfolding quietly on farms across these states point to a growing grassroots movement led not by policy mandates, but by farmers themselves.
By Donald Ikenna Ofoegbu, Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS), Abuja
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted a sunny and cloudy atmosphere from Monday, December 29 to Wednesday, December 31, 2025, across the country.
The NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday, December 28, in Abuja, envisaged sunny skies over the northern region throughout the forecast period.
According to MiMet, sunny skies with a few patches of clouds are anticipated over the central region throughout the forecast period.
Cloudy weather
The agency anticipated sunny skies in the southern region with patches of clouds over the region.
It forecasts prospects of isolated thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Abia and Osun states later in the day.
”For Tuesday, sunny skies are anticipated over the northern region throughout the forecast period and sunny skies with a few patches of clouds over the central region during the forecast period.
”Sunny skies with patches of clouds are anticipated over the southern region with prospects of isolated thunderstorms.
”Light rains are anticipated over parts of Abia, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa states during the afternoon or evening hours of the day,” it said.
The agency envisaged a sunny and hazy atmosphere on Wednesday over parts of Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states of the northern region with the rest of the region to be sunny throughout the forecast period.
It also anticipated light rains over parts of Anambra, Oyo, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa states later in the day.
“Driving under rain should be with caution. Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.
“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website (www.nimet.gov.ng),” it said.
UNESCO has reiterated its commitment to conserving Nigeria’s biosphere reserves, ensuring environment presevation and discouraging human activities that fuel climate change across communities.
Dr Jean-Paul Abiaga, Head of Office, UNESCO Abuja and the organisation’s representative in Nigeria, said this in an interview on Monday, December 29, 2025, in Abuja.
He said that UNESCO was conserving biosphere reserves, particularly Oban in Cross River, Omo in Ogun State, and Shere Hills in Plateau State.
UNESCO is conserving biosphere reserves in Ogun, Cross River and Plateau states
He explained that a biosphere referred to the global sum of all ecosystems, including all living organisms and their interactions with the environment. Abiaga added that UNESCO had engaged communities in the Oban, Omo and Shere Hills biosphere reserves in biodiversity business training.
A biosphere, according to the organisation, refers to the global sum of all ecosystems, encompassing all living organisms and their interactions with the environment.
The UNESCO representative said they had engaged in biodiversity business training for Oban Biosphere Reserve, Omo Biosphere Reserve and Shere Hills Reserve communities.
“The training is entitled Biodiversity Business in Oban Biosphere Reserve, Omo Biosphere Reserve and Shere Hills Reserve, Nigeria: A Means to Poverty Reduction, Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.
“UNESCO received $1 million from India-UN Partnership Fund to implement the Biodiversity Business Project in three sites across Nigeria.
“The objective of the project is to support youth, women and local communities to develop biodiversity-related businesses,” Abiaga said.
Speaking on the training for Omo communities, he recalled they selected ten communities to train them in piggery and fish farming biodiversity businesses.
According to him, the goal is to help them create alternative source of livelihood that generate income while protecting the environment.
Abiaga also said that the biodiversity businesses training aligned with UNESCO’s global priority to create a balance between biodiversity protection and sustainable livelihoods.
“This project combines environmental protection with income generation, which supports the UN target of protecting 30 per cent of global biodiversity on land and sea.”
He said UNESCO hoped to scale up the project and continue collaborating with the Ogun State government, other states and private sector who shared the same interest.
He mentioned that the programme which held between Nov. 10 and Nov 15 in Ogun, was implemented in collaboration with Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, National Park Service, the Nigerian Committee of Man and Biosphere Reserve.
The biodiversity businesses training is part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, an intergovernmental scientific programme aimed at establishing a scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and their environment.
The programme combines the natural and social sciences with a view to improving human livelihoods and safeguarding natural and managed ecosystems.
It promotes innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable.
Preliminary report on chronic kidney disease (CKD) research conducted in Yobe State has indicated heavy metal presence in samples of water consumed by residents of Gashua town.
Prof. Mahmoud Maina, the Lead Researcher and Director, Biomedical Research and Training Centre (BioRTC), Yobe State University, Damaturu, disclosed this in an interview in Damaturu, the state capital, on Monday, December 29, 2025.
Gashua, Jakusko and other communities along the Yobe River are badly hit by decades-old renal failure burden, which has resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates in the areas.
Prof. Mahmoud Maina, the Lead Researcher and Director, Biomedical Research and Training Centre (BioRTC), Yobe State University
Maina, a neuroscientist and Adviser to Gov Mai Mala Buni on Science, Research and Innovation, noted that metals like cadmium, lead and arsenic were potential triggers of CKD and should not be near the environment in normal circumstances.
“If you find them close to your environment, then know that they can result in not only kidney disease but also other conditions like cancer and dementia,” he said.
The director said the report also revealed that CKD was significantly driven by known conditions like diabetes and hypertension, adding that fishermen in the area were mostly affected by the disease as compared to others.
He said BioRTC, in collaboration with a 50-man team of scientists from US, UK, Ghana, among others, collected over 3,000 human and environmental samples, including urine, blood, food items, farm soil, river and borehole water for the research.
The director listed the experts who participated in the state government-sponsored research to include nephrologists, geologists, chemists, physicians, geneticists and environmental scientists.
Maina, the recently turbaned “Shettima Ilmube” of Damaturu Emirate Council, however, emphasised that a more detailed and comprehensive report on the research would be made available in January 2026.
On dementia research recently launched by the centre in Damaturu, he said, life style information, blood samples and skin biopsies of 1,200 high risk individuals were collected for genetic analysis and screening for biomarkers.
Dementia is a condition associated with memory loss that gradually progresses into confusion, hallucination and the inability to manage oneself.
According to Maina, although dementia is associated with aging, it is not a normal part of aging.
The director said through the Induced Plurepotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) technology, tissue samples could be used to analyse dementia, especially in the absence of brain donors.
“If you collect a small pinch of tissue or even blood, you can go into the laboratory and convert these into stem cells. We can then further convert these stem cells into brain cells.
“Then we can now grow the brain cells using those ones, and these brain cells will have similar biology and property as the individual that gave us the donation of the skin biopsy.
“This means that if a person is at risk of dementia, we can test in his cells how to understand the risk and to prevent it as if it is happening in him, but without him giving us his brain,” Maina said.
He described the iPSCs as an essential technology through which drugs could be developed and prescribed for the treatment of dementia and other conditions in the near future.
The director said the centre decided to embark on dementia research as a proactive measure against the condition, which, according to recent studies, could surge by 300 percent in Africa in the next 25 years.
“The financial burden of dementia, globally, is also over $3 trillion. It will be more crippling to Africa than the West.
“This is why some people say dementia is worse than cancer because you can still remember and pray even on your sick bed. You can say your prayer before you die.
“But for dementia, you can stop being in this world decades before you are gone,” Maina said.
He commended the Buni-led administration for providing operational funds to the BioRTC, sponsoring its staff for foreign training and constructing the centre’s permanent office accommodation, which would be inaugurated in January.
The director said BioRTC was founded by him in 2021 with support from officials of the university and state government, adding that the centre had trained over 1,000 scientists on research and innovation since its establishment.
Maina, a visiting Prof. at University of Sussex, England, said through his foreign contacts, BioRTC had attracted funds for research and N6 billion worth of equipment, including high-end laser confocal microscopes and circular dichroism machine.
He identified corruption within and outside academia, inadequate funding and equipment as some of the drawbacks of research and innovation in Nigeria and other African countries.
The director, therefore, called on government and philanthropists to embrace the culture of supporting research and innovation financially, and promote talented scientists whose inventions could attract funding and investments.
“This will lead to solving societal problems; showing the value of science, increasing the visibility of our impact and make us among the power houses,” he said.
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on Monday, December 29, 2025, said that there was a system collapse at 2.01 which has resulted to loss of power supply across their network.
The information was made known by EKEDC on its official X (Twitter) handle.
A power grid
It said: “Kindly be informed that there was a system collapse at 2.01 which has resulted to loss of power supply across our network.
”We are currently working with our partners as we hope for the speedy restoration of the grid.
”We will keep you updated as soon as power is restored.”
Confirmation is being awaited from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has called for compensation for communities affected by the recent U.S. strike in Sokoto State.
President Donald Trump of U.S. on Christmas Day in a Truth Social post announced what he described as a devastating airstrike on terrorists mobilising for assault missions in Nigeria.
The CSOs coalition in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, December 29, 2025, also advocated an independent investigation into the strike and public disclosure of the findings from the probe.
US President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly
The group comprises no fewer than 80 organisations including Yiaga Africa, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Accountability Lab Nigeria, ACE-Nigeria, and African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL).
The group said doing so would deepen public trust and calm communal tensions.
The group said the incident raised serious questions about Nigeria’s sovereignty, constitutional governance, civilian protection and democratic accountability.
The CSOs criticised what it described as the absence of public explanations from the President Bola Tinubu, Service Chiefs and the National Assembly.
They further decried the lack of transparency surrounding the operation, including its legal basis and rules of engagement and safeguards for civilians.
The group said this was amid reports that debris from munitions fell on farmlands in Sokoto State and near a hotel in Kwara State.
Kebbi State Government has attracted five landmark investments valued at over $200 million and N220 billion in renewable energy, electric mobility and agro-industrial development.
Dr Muhammad Kamba, Director-General of the Kebbi State Investment Promotion Agency, disclosed this on Monday, December 29, 2025, in Abuja.
He said the investments include a $120 million, 100-megawatt off-grid solar power project by Fused Vision.
Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State
According to Kamba, the project is among the largest off-grid solar initiatives undertaken by a subnational government in Nigeria.
“It is designed to address energy shortages in underserved communities and support manufacturing and agro-processing activities,” he said.
Kamba said Karlot Energy would deploy distributed off-grid solar systems across the state to expand access to clean and reliable power.
“They will leverage Kebbi’s strong solar potential and investor-friendly policies,” he added.
In the transport sector, Kamba said WE CAN Electric Cars had received approval to begin electric vehicle operations statewide.
“This introduces sustainable mobility options for urban and rural routes, aligning with global shifts towards green transportation,” he said.
He said TAWI Research Limited plans to establish an agriculture-focused innovation centre to boost productivity through technology adaptation.
Kamba added that Think-Lab Group is developing the ₦220 billion Kebbi Agro Food Industrial Hub integrating farming, processing, logistics and market access.
“The hub will link smallholder farmers to markets, reduce post-harvest losses and increase incomes.
“These investments reflect Kebbi’s advantages in agriculture, energy infrastructure and facilitation,” Kamba said.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to timely project execution to position Kebbi as a long-term investment destination.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an application seeking to stop Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), and others from allocating some oil fields.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration and Production Ltd but moved by their lawyer, Ambrose Unaeze, rather ordered that the respondents be put on notice.
“The respondents are hereby ordered by this honourable court to show cause why the application should not be granted,” Justice Nwite ruled.
Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil)
Justice Nwite, a vacation judge, adjourned the matter until Jan. 5, 2026, for the respondents to show cause.
The 2nd and 3rd respondents in the ex-parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2678/2025, are the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) and Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The motion, dated and filed on Dec. 11 by a team of lawyers led by Unaeze, sought a relief.
The oil and gas companies are seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants or whomsoever is acting on their behest from selling, assigning or allocating the Yorla South (Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) 2A32 – OML 11) located in Rivers.
The order is to also restrain the defendants from allocating Akiapiri (PPL 2A48 – OML 25) located in Bayelsa; Diebu Creek East (OML 32) also located in Bayelsa and Idiok (PPL 2A41 – OML 67) located in Akwa Ibom, “same being direct replacements for Utapate Oil Field (formerly part of OML 13) and OPL 2002, previously allocated to the plaintiff but was later withdrawn by the defendants, pending the hearing of the interlocutory application in this suit.”
Giving four grounds why their application should be granted, the lawyer said the companies were previously allocated the Utapate Oil Field (formerly part of OML 13) and OPL 2002, but were unreasonably withdrawn by the Federal Government.
He said parties had a settlement agreement for the replacement of the Utapate Oil Field, which was accepted or adopted and it became consent judgement.
Unaeze stated that the firms had taken substantial steps and offered consideration in respect of the grant of the licence to operate OPL and licence to establish a petroleum refinery.
He argued that the companies’ legal right is being threatened by the defendants, pursuant to the threat to sell or allocate the oil fields at Yorla South, Akiapiri, Diebu Creek East, and Idiok to third parties via the defendants’ offer to the public for round bid, hence, the need for the interim order.
In the affidavit in support of the motion, the companies’ Director, Chief Felix Ezeamama, averred that in 2007, the firms won the bid for OPL 2002, but the exercise was suspended following a lawsuit filed by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), the former operator of OML 13 as at then.
“However, the plaintiffs subsequently filed an action against the defendants over lack of access to the oil field in Suit No. FHC/CS/1077/2007, which led to an out of court settlement in 2015 between the plaintiffs and the defendants,” he said.
Ezeamama said this led to the adoption of the terms of settlement as a consent judgment.
According to him, the settlement agreement confirmed and declared the plaintiffs as the rightful winner of OPL 2002 and provided for the issuance of a 50,000 BPD modular refinery license at Iko Community, Eastern Obolo L.G.A., Akwa Ibom State.
“And following this act, the DPR (now NUPRC) issued the plaintiffs with both the award letter (Offer of Oil Prospecting License – OPL 2002) and License to establish Petroleum Refinery, and based on that act of the defendants, the plaintiffs made part payment of the signature bonus while liaising with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on exchange rate arrangements for the balance.
He said consequent upon the said award/offer of Oil Prospecting License — OPL 2002 and license to establish petroleum refinery by the defendants, the plaintiffs submitted a detailed engineering design as per statutory compliance for the construction of 50,000 BPSD Refinery at Iko Community, Eastern Obolo L.G.A. of Akwa Ibom.
He said the defendants, in their wisdom after series of review, approved the detailed engineering design and construction as submitted and further advised the plaintiffs to proceed to the next phase of the project.
“That a subsequent high-level stakeholders meeting chaired by the then AGF, on-behalf of the defendants, wherein he proposed a settlement offering the plaintiffs either two oil fields from OPL 2002.
“This, is a with a complete data for each of the fields, or three (3) other marginal fields of its choice with complete data for the fields elsewhere from the Government Basket, under sole risk terms with a nominal signature bonus.”
Ezeamama said owing to the facts as stated above, the plaintiffs selected the Obuzo, Uzoaku, and Ofemini Oil Fields, which were approved for implementation by the defendants.
“However, the fields were later included in a marginal field bid round and sold to other operators, leaving none available as alternatives for the plaintiffs,” he said.
According to him, the matter remained unresolved for years, and each time the plaintiffs approached the defendants for the replacement of their oil fields, the defendants would always make promises and undertakings to the plaintiffs that they will provide them with other viable oil fields of equivalent value to the earlier ones as granted to them which were unjustifiably withdrawn.
The director averred that they are entitled to the allocation of the said Yorla South – PPL 2A32 – OML 11; Akiapiri: PPL 2A48-OML 25; Diebu Creek East – OML 32 and Idiok: PPL 2A41-OML 67 and grant of license of same as alternative to the earlier oil fields which were unreasonably withdrawn by the defendants.
He said this was so because they had fulfilled the conditions for the grant and also particularly in-line with the consent judgement of the court.
Ezeamama said irreparable loss would have been visited on the plaintiffs and a state of hopelessness would be foisted on the court, if the application was not granted and the defendants go ahead to deal adversely with the plaintiffs’ interest on the selected oil fields.
“That the plaintiffs have suffered grave financial loss and emotional torture in the hands of the defendants, who have continued to dribble the plaintiffs at will,” he alleged.
