The Federal High Court Yenagoa on Wednesday adjourned a suit by Ijaw leaders seeking to halt the process leading to licensing for marginal oilfields located in their domains pending the determination of their suit.
The suit marked No, PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020 was filed by Chief Brown Agu (Opu Agu VIII), Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone, President Ijaw Women Connect, and Mr Femowei Friday.
The suit by the three plaintiffs, on behalf of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality, is seeking the court to restrain the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources who are the defendants.
The presiding judge, Justice Abimbola Awogboro, adjourned the case to April 20 for a continuation of hearing following absence of the defense legal team.
It would be recalled that defense counsel Idris Imam had at the last adjourned date Feb. 20 appealed for time to respond to a counter motion filed by the plaintiff. .
Counsel to the plaintiff, Enie Otrofaniowei, had urged the court to strike out the preliminary objection filed by the second and third defendants Mr Idris Imam due to his two consecutive absences to argue it.
Otrofaniowei observed that Imam's absence from court without an excuse was enough justification to strike out the objection and go into the substantive case
but the judge ruled that she would adjourn to give the defendants a second chance.
Awogboro and awarded a cost of N20,000 against the defendants.
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