Chevron, Itsekiri Leaders Fight Over Alleged Illegal Withdrawal Of N300m Legal Fees

Multi-national oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, has dragged Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor and others to a High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining them from withdrawing or transferring funds from the Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, (IRDC) account domiciled in Keystone Bank PLC, pursuant to a consent judgment.

Also joined in the suit are Alero Tenumah, Aginejune Agbonekuya, Ebigbeyi Awani Kennedy, Lori Omatie, Aburo Mene-Ejegi, Frank Aberuoluwa, Keystone Bank PLC, Itse Orugbo and Richard Omare as second to tenth defendants respectively.

The company had alleged that the defendants, relying on a consent judgment in EHC/20/2020, withdrew N300 million from the IRDC’s bank account domiciled in Keystone Bank in breach of GMOU and the mandate and terms of the operation of the IRDC’s bank accounts purportedly as a legal fee of the 1st -7th and the 9th-10th defendants.

It also sought an order directing that “all monies withdrawn and/or transferred by the defendants from IRDC’s bank account domiciled” in Keystone Bank PLC pursuant to the consent judgment including the N300 million allegedly “withdrawn by the defendants on October 20, 2020, be refunded by the defendants” to the account.

Praying the court to declare all withdrawals from the IRDC’s bank account made pursuant to the consent judgment, the company also sought a perpetual injunction restraining the bank from allowing any withdrawal by the defendants pursuant to the consent judgment.

The company, in an affidavit in support of the motion by Mr Olufemi Abode, maintained that it was not privy or party to the terms of settlement between the first to seventh defendants, the eighth defendants and the other parties in EHC/20/2020 which were made consent judgment.