Alex Enumah in Abuja
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has been requested to droop the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), pending the listening to and willpower of its movement on discover.
The request was a part of reliefs sought by a civil group within the go well with marked: FCT/HC/GWA/CV/299/2026.
The claimant, the Registered Trustees of Empowerment and Welfare Development Initiative for Unemployed Youths, alleged that Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) supplied cowl for oil bunkerers within the Niger Delta regardless of large funds by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Specifically, the group requested the court docket to order an investigation of the PINL’s Managing Director, Osahon Okunbor, and put aside a vote of confidence reportedly handed in favour of the corporate and Okunbor by the House of Representatives.
The go well with dated October 15, 2026, and filed by claimant’s lawyer, Samuel Yaro Momoh has 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 movement ex parte introduced underneath Order 42 of the High Court of the FCT (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025, Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution and the court docket’s inherent jurisdiction, the claimant seeks interim orders suspending the contract, pending the listening to and willpower of a movement on discover.
The utility is supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by a Nigerian citizen and economist, Amarachi Orji.
She said that since its engagement by NNPCL, the first defendant, “has not lived up to expectations” and has engaged in serial acts of gross monetary mismanagement, ineffectiveness, diversion and different acts of financial sabotage.
The deponent additionally alleged that PINL lacks transparency and is accused of offering cowl for oil bunkerers within the Niger Delta regardless of large funds from the federal authorities.
She additional alleged that the 2nd defendant, Okunbor, resides an opulent and ostentatious way of life.
The court docket papers additionally increase allegations of non-public aggrandisement, misappropriation of funds and dwelling above authentic means.
Although, none of those allegations has been established by a court docket of regulation.
Among reliefs the claimant is in search of consists of; an order suspending the pipeline surveillance contract on an interim foundation.
The claimant is additional asking the court docket to direct the EFCC, the ICPC, the Police and different related businesses to examine the operations, administration, monetary standing and expenditure of PINL and its MD in reference to the contract, together with allegations of cash laundering.
The claimant can also be in search of an order for a probe of the phrases of all oil enterprise between PINL and NNPCL, an order to restrain the Presidency, NNPCL and different related authorities from renewing or re-awarding the contract to PINL or any of its nominee corporations, pending the willpower of the substantive utility.
It additionally needs an order to put aside the purported vote of confidence or decision handed in favour of PINL and Okunbor by the House of Representatives’ HOSTCOM Committee.
The claimant contended that the decision was unconstitutional, extremely vires the powers of the House and of no authorized impact. It additionally argued that the listening to which produced the decision was not performed transparently.
However, the submitting of the go well with doesn’t in itself set up the allegations in opposition to any of the defendants, and the substantive points stay topic to judicial willpower.
