Group Seeks Suspension Of PINL’s Pipeline Surveillance Contract

A civil society group has asked the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, to suspend the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), pending the hearing and determination of its motion on notice.

The group alleged that Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) provided cover for oil bunkerers in the Niger Delta despite huge payments by the Federal Government.

The Plaintiff told the court to order an investigation into its Managing Director, Osahon Okunbor, and set aside a vote of confidence reportedly passed in favour of the company and its MD by the House of Representatives.

The suit, marked FCT/HC/GWA/CV/299/2026 and dated October 15, 2026, was filed by counsel to the claimant, Samuel Yaro Momoh.

The claimant is a welfare development initiative whose details are contained in the court processes.

It names PINL, Okunbor, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the House of Representatives as defendants.

In a motion ex parte brought under Order 42 of the High Court of the FCT (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025, Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution and the court’s inherent jurisdiction, the claimant seeks interim orders suspending the contract pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.

The application is supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by a Nigerian citizen and economist, Amarachi Orji.

She stated that since its engagement by NNPCL, PINL, the 1st defendant, “has not lived up to expectations” and has engaged in serial acts of gross financial mismanagement, ineffectiveness, diversion and other acts of economic sabotage.

She also alleged that PINL lacks transparency and is accused of providing cover for oil bunkerers in the Niger Delta despite huge payments from the Federal Government.

She further alleged that the 2nd defendant, Okunbor, is living a luxurious and ostentatious lifestyle.

The court papers also raise allegations of personal aggrandisement, misappropriation of funds and living above legitimate means. None of these allegations has been established by a court of law.

Among other reliefs, the claimant is asking the court to:

Suspend the pipeline surveillance contract on an interim basis; direct the EFCC, the ICPC, the Police and other relevant agencies to investigate the operations, management, financial status and expenditure of PINL and its MD in connection with the contract, including allegations of money laundering;

It also asked the court to order a probe of the terms of all oil business between PINL and NNPCL;

restrain the Presidency, NNPCL and other relevant authorities from renewing or re-awarding the contract to PINL or any of its nominee companies, pending the determination of the substantive application; and set aside the purported vote of confidence or resolution passed in favour of PINL and Okunbor by the House of Representatives’ HOSTCOM Committee.

The claimant contends that the resolution is unconstitutional, ultra vires the powers of the House and of no legal effect. It also argues that the hearing which produced the resolution was not conducted transparently.

The claimant further asks the court to grant any other orders it deems fit in the circumstances.

The filing of the suit does not in itself establish the allegations against any of the defendants, and the substantive issues remain subject to judicial determination.