Ogoni Projects: Court To Rule On Suit Against Federal Govt Jan 10

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will on January 10, 2024, deliver judgement on a suit brought against the federal government by a group, Ekere Pya Ogoni Initiative (EPOI).

The presiding judge, Hon. Justice Phoebe Ayuba, disclosed this on Wednesday after hearing from all the parties involved in the suit.

The EPOI incorporated trustees had filed the suit against Minister of Environment, Minister of State for Environment, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), seeking for clarifications on projects awarded by the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

Some of the projects include; the Ogoni Centre of Excellence, the Ogoni Power Project and the 100-bed Specialist Hospital.

EPOI had on February 15, 2023 obtained an order of the Court, directing or compelling the first and second respondents jointly or severally, to disclose, release or make available to the applicants the information in its letters dated November 23, 2022 and December 12, 2022, respectively.

The Court order also directed the Federal Government and the group to maintain status quo and suspend the planned flag-off of the Ogoni power project and others.

The order reads in part: “That an order is made directing the first and second respondents and even the applicants to maintain the status quo ante bellum and not to tamper with the subject matter in this suit before the hearing and determination of this suit.

“That an order is made suspending the planned flag-off of the subject until the hearing and determination of this suit, more so that the court is ready to give an accelerated hearing in this matter.”