S’court fixes May 6 for judgment on Rivers, Imo oil wells dispute

The supreme court has fixed May 6 to deliver judgment on a suit regarding the disputed ownership of 17 oil wells between Rivers and Imo states.

The apex court fixed the date after counsel in the matter adopted their final written addresses.

Joseph Daudu, counsel to the plaintiff (Rivers state), in his address, prayed the court to give judgment in favour of Rivers on the grounds that historical evidence from 1927 till date clearly indicates that the oil wells belong to the state.

Daudu drew the attention of the court to the boundary adjustment paper of 1976 in which Ndoni and Egbema were confirmed to belong to Rivers state.

He also disagreed with the attorney-general of the federation’s contention that the dispute should have been heard in a federal high court rather than the supreme court because locals should have testified orally in the matter.

According to Daudu, the supreme court has original jurisdiction and may easily examine all accessible historical documents dating back to the colonial era to identify which state owns the oil wells.

In his submissions, Olusola Oke, Imo state counsel, asked the apex court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that it ought to have originated from the federal high court.

Oke claimed that because of the nature of the matter, oral evidence ought to be taken from the people of the area to confirm where the oil wells actually belong.

Similarly, Remi Olatubora, counsel to the AGF, aligned himself with the position of Imo state.

He insisted that witnesses, including officials of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), the surveyor-general of the federation, and indigenes of the disputed areas, ought to be heard for the court to make appreciable and acceptable findings.

Although Olatubora claimed that the AGF is taking a neutral position on ownership of the disputed oil wells, he said scientific evidence must be considered along with open court hearing for the apex court to make good findings.

Olukayode Ariwoola, who headed the seven-member panel of the supreme court, thereafter fixed May 6 for judgment.