A High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory has struck out a lawsuit seeking to compel the prosecution of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, over allegations linked to oil block awards and signature bonuses.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice H. Muazu dismissed the case brought by a non-governmental organisation, Registered Trustees of Trust Field Empowerment Initiatives, describing it as frivolous and outside the jurisdiction of the court.
The NGO had asked the court to mandate the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)—named as the first defendant—or his proxies to initiate criminal proceedings against Komolafe within 30 days. Also joined in the suit were the NUPRC and Komolafe himself, as third and second defendants, respectively.
Filed under suit number FCT/HC/GAR/CV/128/2025, the case centred on unsubstantiated claims relating to the allocation of oil licences and the fixing of associated signature bonuses. But lawyers representing the defendants challenged the suit’s legal foundation, citing Section 251(1)(a)(n) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which reserves exclusive jurisdiction over matters related to natural resources and federal revenue for the Federal High Court.
Lead counsels Kehinde Ogunwumiju SAN (for the AGF), Oladele Gbadeyan (for Komolafe), and Chiesonu Okpoko SAN (for the NUPRC), argued that the FCT High Court lacked the authority to entertain the matter. They further sought punitive costs of ₦100 million, alleging that the suit was brought with the intention to “harass, intimidate, and ridicule” the NUPRC boss.
Justice Muazu upheld the defence’s argument on jurisdiction, ruling that only the Federal High Court had competence in cases concerning oil and gas regulation. He awarded ₦3 million in costs to each of the three respondents, ordering the NGO to pay a total of ₦9 million in penalties.
The ruling marks a legal victory for Komolafe, who has faced mounting scrutiny amid Nigeria’s ongoing oil sector reforms. The NUPRC, which oversees upstream petroleum operations, has been central to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, a legislation aimed at reshaping the governance and revenue structure of the country’s critical oil sector.
The judgment is also seen as a signal from the judiciary against the growing trend of litigation perceived as politically motivated or lacking in legal merit.
