Court Orders FG to Return OPL 245 to Shell, Eni

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday directed the Federal Government to return the OPL 245 oil bloc to two oil giants, Shell Nigeria Limited and Eni.

On January 26, 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) got an order to seize the controversial oil bloc from the firms over alleged fraud.

But the companies challenged this and today, Justice John Tsoho revoked the forfeiture order received by the EFCC.

In the suit filed by the anti-graft agency, it alleged that the former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete; former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke; a businessman, Mr Aliyu Abubakar; and the firms were involved in fraud.

Shell and Eni were accused of acquiring the oil bloc from the government through the above persons in a fraudulent manner in 1998 and that the money realised from the sale was never remitted to the government.

This forced the EFCC to file a suit before a court to seize it from the firm and decision that did not go down well with Shell and Eni.

Meanwhile, it is not clear if this order would be appealed by the government.