Court Orders Status Quo In Oil & Marine Services’ Suit Against UK Firm
A Federal High Court, Lagos, Thursday, ordered that status quo should be maintained in the suit filed by Aquashield Oil And Marine Services and Captain Nasir Muhammad Saulawa against Captain Nalin Abeyratne and Prime Gulf International (UK) Limited.
Justice Muslim Hassan made the order after listening to the Ex-parte Motion filed and argued by Mr. Yakubu Galadima, lawyer to Aquashield Oil And Marine Services and Captain Nasir Muhammad Saulawa.
The plaintiffs, Aquashield and Marine Services Limited and Captain Nasir Saulawa, in the Ex-parte Motion had asked the court among other things, to grant an order of interim injunction restraining Captain Nalin Abeyratne and Prime Gulf international (UK) Limited, from publishing the Arbitration award granted in their favour in whatever form, either by notification to the applicants’ bankers, suppliers, Ontario national oil companies operating in Nigeria or their parent companies in the world, pending hearing and determination of the motion on Notice filed in the suit which is scheduled to come up for hearing on September 25, 2018.
The plaintiffs also asked the court for an order of interim injunction restraining the first defendant, Captain Nalin Abeyratne from taking any step that will be prejudicial or embarrassing or occasion financial loses to the hearing and determination of the pending suit.
After listening to Galadima’s submission, Justice Hassan stated that; “I have read the motion ex-parte filed by the applicants, the supporting affidavit, the written address as well as the oral submission of the plaintiffs’ counsel and I am of the view that the reliefs sought are not the type that can be grateful ex-parte.
“However, I am ordering that status quo ante be maintained pending hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice”.
