The Registered Trustees of Peoples Wellbeing Association had, in the ex parte application, dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL); Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd; Pipeline Infrastructure Limited; and Abokus Integrated Security Services Ltd before the court.

The claimants had sought, among other reliefs, an order of interim injunction restraining the AGF and NNPCL from further renewing the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Ltd, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and Abokus Integrated Security Services Ltd, which they claimed is worth billions of dollars, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

They further sought an interim order mandating and directing the federal government to forthwith restructure the entire oil pipeline surveillance contract and direct all relevant security agencies, constitutionally vested with the powers and duty to provide such protection, to immediately take over the coordination of security of all national oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.

They also asked the court to order that these agencies monitor and supervise the activities of all other private security establishments, such as Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd, Pipeline Infrastructure Limited and Abokus Integrated Security Services Ltd, which are the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants in the matter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

In the enrolled order, dated April 2 and sighted by journalists on Monday, Justice Kawu declined the reliefs sought by the claimants and granted an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.

The judge held that granting such relief would be inimical to national economic stability, noting that doing so could create a vacuum capable of triggering an increase in oil theft and significant revenue losses.

According to him, pipeline security remains central to Nigeria’s economic survival and is a matter of overriding public interest.

Justice Kawu held that, “No court of law should grant an order capable of plunging the nation into economic crisis.”

The court further held that the federal government and NNPCL are at liberty to proceed with the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract and must ensure that there is no operational vacuum pending the determination of the substantive suit.

It consequently ordered that all parties involved in the surveillance operations, including Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and Abokus Integrated Security Services Ltd, should continue discharging their responsibilities in the national interest.

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