W/479/2016, Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, activist and Igba of Warri
Kingdom, Chief C. C. Omolubi Newuwumi and three others on behalf of Itsekiri nation, said, “the court did not sit because of an emergency meeting judges are having with the state Chief Judge.”
Lori-Ogbebor has approached the Delta state High Court in Warri,
armed with the FOI Act, to compel Dr. Okowa, Governor of Delta State,
Chevron Nigeria Limited, Ayiri Emami and eight other Itsekiris
to account for an estimated N10b Itsekiri oil communities development votes they allegedly appropriated unilaterally since 2005 without participatory consent of benefiting communities.
Peter Aihiokhai, co-counsel to the Claimants added that, “essentially,
from documents available to us, monies meant for the Itsekiri nation from Chevron has been diverted by certain individuals since 2005.
that have been meted out to these oil communities.
He added, “Chevron itself is not making things better. All evidence
available, especially agreements, reached are a nullity. At the end of
the day, cans of warms will be opened. Chevron should stop conniving with some state officials to steal the commonwealth that belongs to these communities”
Speaking on the aborted case, Lori-Ogbebor fumed that the
Itsekiri nation are very angry and determined to pursue this case to a logical conclusion because those being accused of shortchanging the people have also tried to rubbish HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, Olu of Warri’s efforts at remedying the situation.
According to Chief (Mrs.) Lori-Ogbebor , “When His Majesty came on the throne, his first responsibility was to ask the present leaders who have been squandering Itsekiri money to give way for new set of Itsekiri leaders to run the GMoU and agreements from which oil communities benefit development. That became a big war between him and them. They even took him to court. This is why the whole Itsekiri nation is angry. They took him to Sapele Court, completely outside his
domain. And when Itsekiri tried to retrieve the case from Sapele, they
beat some of us up to a state of stupor, all Itsekiri that went there.
She added, “that case was transferred, not back to Warri, the
jurisdiction of His Majesty, but rather to Asaba, again because
government is also interested in the communities’ money as well. From Asaba, we hear they are transferring it to Ughelli. This is your country. This is you Delta.”
According to the Claimants/Applicants, we want the Court to make , “A Declaration that the “Itsekiri Oil & Gas Producing/Impacted
Communities Development Council” and/or “Itsekiri Oil & Gas
Producing/Impacted Communities Development Committee” are not bodies known to law.”
Among other claims, Lori-Ogbebor and other Claimants/Applicants are asking the court for, “An order compelling the Defendants to recall, refund or recover N2B or all such monies paid by the Chevron Nigeria Limited to persons or corporate body, pursuant to the purported GMoU 2006 and 2012, including onshore and offshore operations till date within seven days from the date of delivery of judgement in this case and same paid into an interest yielding account to be opened and
operated by the 27 host communities of Chevron or their nominees”.
“An order compelling the Defendants to provide to the Claimants within 7 days from the date of judgement in this case a comprehensive account (including bank statements of accounts) of all sums and beneficiaries thereof paid pursuant to provisions of the GMoU 2006 and 2012 (for onshore and offshore operations).”
The Claimant/Applicant also asked the Court for, “an Order of
perpetual injunction retraining the 2nd Defendant(Chevron Nigeria
Limited) by itself and/or through it’s privies, agents, officials,
subordinates,proxies, contractors or under any other guise from
further giving, allocating, awarding and/or sharing all or any money,
benefits, privileges and/or rights due to the 27 host communities of
the 2nd Defendant (Chevron Nigeria Limited), to the 3rd to 11th
Defendants/ Respondents(Itsekiri Oil & Gas Producing/Impacted
Communities Development Council and/or Itsekiri Oil & Gas
Producing/Impacted Communities Development Committee)or any member of the said group or any other person under the guise of operating the GMoU 2006 and 2012”.
The case has been deferred for opening of hearing Thursday, March 30, 2017.
