Supreme Court Orders Release of Crude Oil to GHL

The Supreme Court of Nigeria issued a ruling on Friday directing the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal and the Admiralty Marshal to release the crude oil aboard the FPSO Tamara Tokoni to Gener Hydrocarbon Limited (GHL) without delay. This decision marks a significant legal victory for GHL in its dispute with First Bank Nigeria (FBN).

The five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the suit filed by First Bank, ruling that the matter did not qualify as an admiralty issue within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. The justices involved in the ruling included Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Justice Adamu Jauro, Justice Moham Lawal Garba, Justice Agim Tijjani Abubakar, and Justice Habeeb Adewale Abiru.

The court's decision effectively overturned an earlier judgment from the Court of Appeal, which had ruled against GHL in the legal battle concerning the crude oil cargo.