Court Strikes Out Agip’s Objection To Contractual Dispute Suit

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has struck out the preliminary objection by Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOCL), praying the court to decline jurisdiction in a suit by an indigenous oil services company, Arco Group Plc, over a disagreement on award of contract between the parties.

In his ruling, trial judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi, held that the preliminary objection by the company’s lawyer, Thompson Okpoko (SAN), was incompetent and accordingly struck same out.

Defendants in the suit are Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOCL); Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Conoco Phillips Petroleum Nig. Ltd, and National Petroleum Investment Management Services.

The indigenous company, Arco Group Plc, is claiming that the defendants, especially NAOCL and Plangeria Company Ltd, have taken steps to mobilise its officials to site contrary to a court order restraining the defendants from doing so pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The matter was adjourned till June 30 for hearing.