Court dismisses suit seeking criminal prosecution of NUPRC chief Gbenga Komolafe over petroleum contracts

Court dismisses suit seeking criminal prosecution of NUPRC chief Gbenga Komolafe over petroleum contracts
Mr Mu’azu dismissed the case and awarded a cost of N3 million each to the three defendants against the NGO.

The Abuja Division of the High Court on Friday dismissed a suit filed by a Non-governmental organisation, Registered Trustees of Trust Field Empowerment Initiatives, that sought the prosecution of Gbenga Komolafe, the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

In the suit marked FCT/HC/GAR/CV/128/2025, the NGO sued Mr Komolafe, NUPRC, and the Attorney-General of the Federal, praying that the court should compel the Nigerian government to launch criminal proceedings against the commission’s CEO over the award of oil blocks and fixing of applicable signature bonuses.

This prompted the three defendants to file a preliminary motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Abuja High Court to hear and determine the case, specifically arguing that the federal high court reserves exclusive authority on civil causes or matters that pertain to mines and minerals, including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys, and natural gas.

Delivering his judgment on Friday, Justice Hamza Mu’azu sided with the motion filed by the respondents that the constitution specifically confers jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to the exclusion of any other court in civil cases or matters relating to the revenue of the government of the federation.

Subsequently, Mr Mu’azu dismissed the case and awarded a cost of N3 million each to the three defendants against the NGO.