FG to pay Rivers, Akwa Ibom states $3.3bn oil revenue

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the federal government to pay over $3 billion to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, as part of their revenue shares from crude oil sales.

The amount formed part of the $62 billion said to have been recovered from some oil companies by the federal government.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that the notice of intention to defend the case without joining issues with the plaintiffs was an error on the part of the government.

The court , also rejected the claim of the federal government that it cannot pay the money it received from crude oil sales adding that the defendant ought to have filed a defence to explain its position in the $62 billion oil earnings as required by law.

This comes a day after the Federal High Court awarded the sum of ₦82 billion in favour of Ibeno community, in Akwa Ibom State, against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Mobil Producing Nigeria, over oil spillage.

Delivering judgement, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ordered that the sum must be paid within 14 days after which, 8% interest will be accurable on the principal sum, annually.

The judge held that the American company and NNPC, were negligent in the way they handled oil spills that caused environmental degradation in the communities.