Contract Scandal: Court Begins Hearing On NLNG, Macobarb Suit

Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt yesterday began hearing on a civil suit by contracting firm, Macobarb, against the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas company (NLNG) over an alleged contract scandal.

Macobarb, which is claiming over N1 billion as liabilities from NLNG on the contract given to them by the NLNG, said the contract was breached and terminated without offsetting all bills and payments on it.

The firm also said by not paying them off, the equipment and men remained on site to accrue more liabilities daily.

When the case was mentioned, counsel to NLNG led by Igboneku Valentine of Babalakin Chambers, told the court that it only filed a statement of defence same day but counsel to Macobarb said NLNG was yet to regularise filing out of time.

Macobarb had brought a motion asking to be permitted to prove its case against NLNG since the company had not filed the statement of defence well over the time it ought to.

But, Igboneku opposed the motion by telling the court that the process opposing the motion was yet to be filed because the seven days to file was yet to elapse.

The presiding judge, Nwogu, adjourned case to October 17, 2022 and advised both counsel to file all processes and bring hard copies of all processes to enable the court look into positions canvassed by each party’s counsel on next adjourned date.

Macobarb had filed a criminal prosecution case through a private prosecutor window seeking to commit the NLNG, its former managing director, Tony Atah and the head of legal, Akachukwu Nwokedi, but the police repeatedly failed to submit its report as required by the Rivers State law.