Ijaw leaders seek court order to halt marginal fields licencing rounds

Three Ijaw leaders have approached the Federal High Court in Yenagoa to stall the process leading to the bid for marginal oilfields located in their domains pending the determination of its suit.

The suit marked No, PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020 slated for hearing on Tuesday was filed by Chief Brown Agu (Opu Agu VIII), Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone President Ijaw Women Connect and Mr Femowei Friend.

The absence the presiding judge Justice Abimbola Awogboro stalled the hearing and subsequently compelled court officials to fix Feb. 19, 2021 for the hearing of the case.

The suit by the trio on behalf of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality, is seeking the court to restrain Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Minister Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

The plaintiffs in a Motion on Notice are seeking an order restraining the defendants/Respondents from further advertising or receiving bids in respect of Marginal Fields pending the hearing and determination of this suit with Suit No, PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020.

They also want the court to restrain the defendants/ Respondents from giving out/approving licence in respect of the Marginal fields listed in pending the hearing and determination.

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) had on April 6, 2020 announced the revocation of 11 of the 13 marginal fields licenses it issued to indigenous oil firms.

Oil Mining Lease (OML) 46 held by Bayelsa government located within onshore swamps in Bayelsa won in 2013 through a bidding process conducted by the DPR was among the licences revoked for being dormant for more than five years.