Seplat Energy, Nigeria’s biggest oil and gas company by market value, has reacted to the court action carried out by the Federal government alleging a breach of immigration law by the company and some of its directors.
“The suit is in relation to the immigration status of Mr. Roger Brown and the withdrawal of his immigration visa by the Ministry of Interior,” the oil driller said in the statement.
The lawsuit is the latest phase of the clash between Seplat Energy’s CEO Roger Brown and some stakeholders.
Bring to mind that earlier this year, concerned parties petitioned Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria’s minister of interior, stating allegations of favouritism, racism, discrimination and breach of corporate governance against Mr Brown, a British citizen.
On 3 March, the minister had sent a letter to Chairman Basil Omiyi, informing him of the withdrawal of the CEO’s work permit as well as his visa and residence permit including a petition from a lawyer to the Seplat employees who made the allegations.
A week later, a Federal High Court in Lagos gave an interim order forbidding Mr Brown from management activities in Seplat Energy, granting the prayer of petitioners including Moses Igbrude, Ajani Abidoye, Sarat Kudaisi, Robert Ibekwe and Kenneth Nnabike.
The court also forbade the company’s chairman and all independent non-executive directors from running the company “in an illegal, unfairly, prejudicial and oppressive manner pending the hearing and determination of the petitioners’ motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
Seplat Energy said last week the court had repealed the orders initially issued against its CEO and its chairman.
The Company maintains that the petition lacks proper basis and is premised on false allegations,” Seplat Energy said in a statement issued after the court ruling.
Seplat said in the Thursday statement that it “continues to follow the rule of law and uphold high standards of corporate governance.”
The company added that it “remains confident that it has provided all of the required documentation to the Ministry of Interior and the judicial process will address the circumstances appropriately.”
