Admin l Wednesday, July 14, 2021
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Supreme Court today restrained the Attorney General of the Federation and that of Rivers State from ceding 17 oils at Akri and Mbede, property of the Rivers State Government to Imo State.
This follows an interim injunction ordering the Federal Government to halt process ceding the oil wells pending determination of the suit.
In the suit brought before the court by the Rivers State Government tasks the Supreme Court to specifically restrain the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Imo State, from taking further action on the ownership of the 17 Oil Wells, till the disputes surrounding the oil wells are resolved.
The court also barred the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation from approving, implementing or giving effect in any manner to ceding the oil wells to Imo State.
The Supreme Court thereafter fixed September 21 for the hearing of the substantive suit. The Rivers State government had dragged the AGF and the Attorney of Imo State before the Supreme Court over the disputed oil wells, seeking a declaration that the boundary between Rivers and Imo states as delineated in Nigeria’s administrative map 10th, 11th and 12th editions as well as other maps bearing similar delineation “are inaccurate, incorrect and do not represent the legitimate and lawful boundaries between the two states.”
It also sought a declaration that as far as the Nigerian administrative map 10, 11 and 12 editions and other maps bearing similar delineations of the boundaries between Rivers and Imo, are unlawful and void, they “cannot be relied on to determine the extent of the territorial governmental jurisdiction of Rivers State”.
River State is asking the Supreme Court to declare that the correct instrument, maps and documents to be relied on in determining the boundary between Rivers and Imo State are those used by the plaintiff in delineating the boundary lines between Rivers and Imo.
