Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has adjourned to March 18, the suit filed by the King of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, HRM Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, challenging the divestment by Shell UK PLC from onshore and shallow water assets hitherto operated by SPDC.
According to Justice Emmanuel, the adjourned date is to hear the motion of preliminary objection.
At the resume hearing on Thursday, counsel to the defendants, Mr Michael Amadi notified the court that the respondents had filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
Also, counsel to the plaintiff, Dakolo, Mr Chuks Uguru sought leave of the court to amend motions earlier filed to correct typographical errors and serve parties the updated copies.
The plaintiffs in the suit alleged that the divestment by Shell did not follow the stipulated guidelines in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
The suit filed by King Bubaraiye Dakolo, traditional ruler of Ekpetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa is also seeking redress and remediation of cumulative pollution of Dakolo’s domain for 40 years.
Listed as Defendants in a suit marked: FHC/YNG/CS/8/2025 filed on May 26th 2025 are; 1st Defendant Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC),2nd Defendant Shell Petroleum N.V., 3rd Defendant Shell PLC, 4th Defendant Attorney General of the Federation, 5th Defendants Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC), 6th Defendant Minister of Petroleum Resources, and Renaissance African Energy Limited as the 7th Defendant.
