The Federal High Court, Yenagoa Division, on Friday adjourned a suit challenging the divestment by Shell UK from onshore and shallow water assets formerly operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) to July 22.
King Bubaraye Dakolo, traditional ruler of Ekpetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area, who is the plaintiff in the matter, alleges that the divestment by Shell did not follow the stipulated guidelines in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
The king is also seeking redress and remediation of the cumulative pollution of his domain for 40 years.
Ekpetiama community is in the neighbourhood and part of the host communities to the Gbarain-Ubie gas plant and Gbarain oilfields.
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When the case came up for mention, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Chuks Uhuru made an ex parte application to grant the plaintiff leave to serve the court summons on Shell UK Plc, the parent company of the SPDC, through substituted means.
The trial judge, Justice Ayo Emmanuel granted the application to serve some of the defendants domiciled in United Kingdom and Netherlands.
Justice Emmanuel adjourned the case to July 22 for the commencement of the hearing.
Listed as defendants in the suit number FHC/YNG/CS/81/2025 are Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, and Shell Petroleum N.V, Shell UK Plc.
Others are the attorney general of the federation, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, and Renaissance Energy Africa Limited.
It will be recalled that Renaissance Energy Africa, a consortium of indigenous oil firms in March 2025, acquired the onshore and shallow waters oil and gas assets hitherto operated by SPDC, following the divestments by Shell UK PLC, the parent company of the SPDC.
